The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Tuesday ordered the temporary blocking of the gaming application GoreBox following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others injured.
The move came after initial police investigations showed that one of the Grade 9 students involved in the shooting at San Jose National High School was an avid player of the online game, which is known for its graphic depictions of violence and allows users to experiment with various weapons.
Police Regional Office 8 Director Brig. Gen. Jayson Capoy earlier confirmed that one of the suspects regularly played GoreBox.
“We are blocking GoreBox temporarily as a precautionary measure pending the investigation. Within the day, expect the app to be blocked,” CICC Undersecretary Aboy Paraiso said.
“We cannot ignore possible online influences that may have contributed to this tragic incident. Temporarily blocking the game will allow authorities to conduct a thorough assessment on whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects,” he added.
The CICC said it is coordinating with the Council for the Welfare of Children and has directed its Threat Monitoring Center to intensify surveillance of online activities involving GoreBox and similar platforms.
First launched in 2023, GoreBox describes itself as a physics-based sandbox game where players can create and simulate scenes involving destruction and weapon use.
“Among other applications, we will be conducting strict monitoring to gain greater visibility into online activities involving GoreBox,” Paraiso said.
The CICC chief emphasized that the agency’s response goes beyond the temporary blocking of the application and reflects growing concerns over online content accessible to minors.
“Our priority is the safety and well-being of Filipino children exposed to the internet. Beyond this temporary ban, we are reinforcing our monitoring efforts to identify online spaces that may pose risks to young users and to ensure that appropriate interventions are made immediately,” he said.
The agency also reiterated its commitment to rapid incident response and urged the public to report cases of cyberbullying and other online threats through its hotline and official reporting channels.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Tacloban school shooting, including the possible factors that may have influenced the suspects.
