24/02/2026
Sagada incident sparks outrage after vlogger handles human skull, calls ancestors “pagans”
By Mia Magdalena Fokno
February 24, 2026
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A social media video posted on February 23, 2026 by vlogger Crist Briand has drawn criticism from residents of Sagada after he was seen holding a human skull inside a burial site and referring to it as belonging to “one of the pagans” in the Hanging Coffins.
“Yo brothers and sister, nandito tayo ngayon sa Sagada at hawak ko ngayon isa sa mga skulls ng mga pagans dito sa Hanging Coffins,” he said in his Facebook story and video posting. The vlogger has 1.2 million followers on the platform.
In the background of the video, a voice can be heard attempting to correct him, saying the site was the Burial Cave and not the Hanging Coffins. The clip has since been deleted, but screen recordings circulated online and his story was still accessible as of press time.
“Very clear sa notice: No Touching”
Local resident Alma Louise B. Bagano publicly called on the Sagada local government unit (LGU) to declare the vlogger persona non grata, citing posted warnings at the site.
“Very clear sa notice na ‘No Touching.’ And who is his guide?” she wrote.
Former National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) officer Michael Gambican Umaming, who is from Sagada, also weighed in. While declining to repost the deleted video, he described what he saw.
In a statement, Umaming said the issue goes beyond a single tourist’s behavior.
He questioned whether the person heard in the background was an accredited guide and, if so, why the tourist was not stopped from handling the remains. He noted that at the Lumiang Burial Cave, a site open to tourists, railings have been installed to prevent visitors from approaching the coffins.
Umaming also addressed the language used in the video.
“The people of old Sagada were never ‘pagans’ in the dismissive way that term is often used today,” he said, adding that Sagada’s ancestors were deeply spiritual long before Christianization.
He recalled that when early missionaries struggled to convince even baptized members to bury their dead in the cemetery, Fr. Staunton, Sagada’s first American missionary, eventually blessed the caves and batbato as Christian burial sites, integrating local practice into church life.
“This incident is not only about one tourist. It is about us,” Umaming said. He called for a renewed understanding of inayan and lawa — indigenous values tied to respect, restraint, and accountability — and urged investment in properly training local guides, who serve as the primary storytellers of Sagada’s history and culture.
Pattern of controversy
The backlash comes weeks after the Sangguniang Bayan of Bauang declared Crist Briand persona non grata in January 2026.
According to a January 21 report by SunStar Davao, the municipal council passed a resolution after the vlogger mocked Bauang in a social media post, calling it the home of “buang.” Officials said they respect freedom of expression but emphasized that content creators with large followings must use their platforms responsibly and avoid insulting communities.
Crist Briand has previously faced criticism in other areas over controversial online remarks.
Waiting for Sagada LGU’s response
As of posting time, the Municipality of Sagada has not yet issued an official statement on the incident. It remains unclear whether the LGU will pursue sanctions, file charges under heritage or cultural protection laws, or consider a persona non grata declaration similar to Bauang’s action.
In the interest of fairness, this publication is also awaiting an official statement from Crist Briand regarding the February 23 video.
The incident raises broader questions about site management and enforcement. The burial cave and hanging coffins in Sagada are not merely tourist attractions; they are sacred ancestral resting places. Handling human remains, whether for content or curiosity, touches on issues of cultural respect, indigenous rights, and basic ethical conduct.
For many in Sagada, the issue is not about canceling a vlogger. It is about drawing a clear line.
Sacred spaces are not props. Ancestors are not content.
Screen capture from Cris Briand/Facebook
