MANILA, Philippines — A Senate committee on Wednesday examined the possible influence of an alleged online extremist group on the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City and called for stronger measures to protect minors from online violence.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate committee on women and children, said preliminary information presented during the hearing indicated that the shooting may have been influenced by “764,” an alleged online nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) group that recruits minors through gaming platforms.
Hontiveros said the group originated in Texas and targets vulnerable children through online platforms such as Roblox, Minecraft and Gorebox. She said the Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified 764 as a national security threat and that the Canadian government has designated it as a terrorist group.
According to Hontiveros, the group allegedly befriends minors online before encouraging them to create graphic pornography, harm animals, injure themselves or engage in other violent acts.
The Senate inquiry followed recent school-related violent incidents, including the Tacloban City shooting involving two underage suspects. Authorities are investigating whether a local network linked to the alleged extremist group manipulated the minors before the attack that left three high school students dead and 20 others wounded.
Hontiveros said investigators found materials within the alleged network related to sextortion, weapons and explosives.
She also presented social media accounts that independent investigators linked to one of the suspects, identified during the hearing by the alias “Nash.” The account contained a photo of the suspect wearing a shirt bearing the name of the band KMFDM.
Hontiveros said the band has no involvement with 764 but claimed some members of communities such as the alleged extremist group use the shirt to glorify one of the perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre.
She added that several accounts believed to belong to members of the alleged network commented on Nash’s social media page after the shooting, including one account that advised him to delete applications such as Discord, Reddit and Telegram to avoid leaving evidence. Hontiveros said the accounts have since been deactivated.
During the hearing, Police Staff Sergeant Arla Ray Paciencia, the suspect’s aunt, testified that her nephew entered her home without permission and took the firearm used in the attack. She also acknowledged bringing him to a firing range once because he had expressed interest in becoming a police officer.
Jenelyn Badoria, the mother of one of the victims, urged lawmakers to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility and hold the suspect’s parents and aunt accountable.
Rex Gatchalian said the suspect is being held at a government youth facility and is undergoing intervention and rehabilitation.
Hontiveros said she is not proposing a ban on online gaming but wants authorities to dismantle organized groups that use online platforms to groom minors and coerce them into self-harm, sexual exploitation and real-world violence.
The hearing also examined possible lapses in gun control that allowed the minors involved in the Tacloban shooting to obtain firearms.
Hontiveros emphasized that the information presented during the inquiry should not yet be considered conclusive evidence.