Social media personality Whamos Cruz addressed accusations that he stole some clips for his “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” video entry.
The “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” makeup challenge is a social media trend wherein content creators showcase the country’s culture and traditions. These are mostly posted on TikTok or via Instagram or Facebook reels.
The song used in the challenge was performed by Angeline Quinto for the tourism department’s “Choose Philippines” campaign in 2011.
Influencers and other content creators have posted their versions online, including Ivana Alawi, Shaha Meta, Magdalena Fox and Kapitana.
RELATED: ‘Asoka’ makeup trend: What we know about the viral TikTok challenge
For Whamos, he showcased different Filipino workers and personalities in his entry. Clips of some Philippine festivals were also included in his video.
However, video editor JAK Seventy-Three said that Whamos featured clips from his 2023 video featuring the Sinulog Festival that year.
“Whamoscruz stole my videos,” he wrote last May 3 with a flushed face emoji, tagging the content creator’s Facebook page.
Last January, JAK uploaded the video anew in anticipation of Sinulog 2024.
Meanwhile, the copyright issue caught the attention of other Facebook pages.
On Monday, Whamos addressed the accusation and said he got “hurt” by JAK’s caption about him “stealing” the video.
“‘Yung sa’kin na lang sana, nag-message na lang sana. Hindi na sana nag-post sa social media, ‘no,” the content creator said in a video post.
“Actually, hindi ho ako ‘yung may kasalanan dito… hindi ako ‘yung may kasalanan dito na bakit may na-involve na clip video doon,” Whamos added.
He said that while he is a content creator, it does not mean that he is the videographer or the editor of his content.
For his “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” entry, he said that he has videographers and other people working with him.
Whamos added that all of them were “extremely stressed” at that time.
“Hindi po ako ang nag-install ng video na ‘yon. Ang nag-install po ng video na ‘yon sa entry ko ay editor ko,” he said.
“Sana minessage niyo na lang po kami,” the content creator said.
“‘Yung video clip naman po ‘yun eh, ginamit naman po ‘yun sa tamang paraan. Hindi naman po sa maling paraan, hindi naman po sa pangit na video ‘yung pinasukan ng video niyo po, no,” Whamos added.
“Ako na po ‘yung humihingi ng pasensya dun sa editor ko sa nangyari, na una pa lang binalaan ko na siya na kapag may mga gantong klase ng ano… actually, sobrang galit na galit nga ‘yung manager ko dun sa editor ko dahil sa nangyari nga po,” he said.
In the comments section, the vlogger reiterated that he is asking for forgiveness on behalf of his editor.
“AKO NA PO ANG HUMIHINGI NG PASENSYA PARA SA EDITOR KO (folded hands emoji). SANA MAGKAINTINDIHAN NA LANG PO SANA TAYO,” Whamos wrote.
On May 3, the vlogger credited JAK in the comments section of his “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” video.
“Festival clips from: JAK Seventy-Three,” Whamos wrote.
The initiative reached JAK, who quipped: “iPhone 15 na lang sana.” The comment was accompanied by a laughing emoji.
In another comment, the video editor said that Whamos and his team did not reach out to him to ask permission for his Sinulog clip before posting the “Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas” entry before.
