Philippine regulator shuts 2 websites accused of grooming children into violence

MANILA — The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has ordered internet service providers to block two websites that authorities say were used to groom minors into carrying out real-world crimes, amid concern over a possible link to recent campus shootings.

At a Monday briefing, Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said the Anti-Cybercrime Group requested the takedown, and that the sites pushed increasingly dangerous "tasks" on children.

"These websites espouse real-world violence," Co told reporters, adding that the assignments escalated "from easy ones until such time these involve shooting and hurting people in real life."

He declined to name the sites, citing an ongoing investigation, but insisted the content had played a role in recent violence: "They definitely influenced incidents that happened recently."

Co added that police are now scanning social media for other platforms promoting violence, saying, "We are doing everything to check if there are others grooming our young people."

Online threats

Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. urged the public to post responsibly after action was taken against seven students and one adult over alleged threats made after the Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, where three students — including the shooter — died and six were wounded.

"Let this be a reminder that social media is not a place to make threats or create fear," Nartatez said. "Just because a post was made online, it doesn't mean it has no real-life impact."

Two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old were arrested separately in the province on Sunday after allegedly threatening to harm classmates in a manner similar to the Banga attack, according to Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.

Tamayo said charges were being readied against the minors, though authorities would first secure clearance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) given their age. Provincial legal officers were also reviewing whether parents could be charged.

In Sultan Kudarat, officers questioned a 13-year-old known only as "Jaf" over photos of firearms and an alleged threat to shoot up Kapingkong National High School.

Maj. Jayson Ortega, Lambayong municipal police chief, said the inquiry was handled carefully because of the boy's age, with a teacher, family members and a social welfare officer present.

No connection

In Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat, police also spoke with two students and an adult seen handling what appeared to be a firearm in a video that spread online after the Banga shooting. The students were brought in by their parents.

However, Brig. Gen. Alan Manibog, Soccsksargen regional police director, said the footage was filmed in July and was unrelated to the Sept. 18 attack or intended as a threat.

In Baguio City, police and education officials are probing an alleged gun threat at Lucban Integrated School involving a 13-year-old Grade 8 student.

Principal Felto Agpawa said the boy reportedly pointed an unserviceable firearm at a classmate on Sept. 16. The three students involved were referred for psychosocial assessment and then to the DSWD.

Col. Nixon Laoyan, Baguio's police chief, said the weapon did not belong to police or any uniformed personnel. The school, with 2,399 students and a single security guard, has since increased security with help from parent volunteers.

Officials have been examining the role of social media in the recent rise of school violence.

In June, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center temporarily banned the video game GoreBox after two students opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, killing three classmates and wounding 20.

One of the shooters, a 14-year-old, was a frequent player of the game, which features weapon simulation and graphic violence.

On Aug. 18, a 14-year-old student at Ateneo de Zamboanga University brought his father's gun to campus, shot a senior schoolmate and then himself. Two other students were injured.

The student broadcast the shooting on Facebook Live; though the stream was removed within minutes, the footage spread rapidly across websites. PLDT Inc. subsequently said it would block more than 100 sites streaming or hosting footage of school shootings and "other acts of extreme violence."

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the shooter may have been influenced by the gaming platform Roblox. A check of his phone and laptop also revealed a search history of sites apparently containing hate speech.