Senator Risa Hontiveros said the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City may be connected to “764,” an online extremist group allegedly recruiting children into violence, sexual exploitation, and other harmful activities.
During a hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, Hontiveros said initial information suggests the June 22 shooting could have been influenced by the group, which she described as part of a broader nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) network.
According to the senator, “764” has been identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a national security threat and designated by the Canadian government as a terrorist group.
Hontiveros said the group allegedly gains the trust of children by giving them a sense of belonging before encouraging them to engage in increasingly dangerous acts, including creating graphic pornography, self-harm, animal cruelty, and even suicide.
She also warned that NVE networks are allegedly using online games such as Roblox, Minecraft, and GoreBox to recruit young members.
“Ang mahirap nito, kung hindi nararamdaman ng bata sa totoong buhay ang respeto at pagtanggap o belonging, ang mga puwang na iyan ay pinupunuan ng mga masasamang online community,” Hontiveros said.
On June 22, two minors aged 14 and 15 allegedly opened fire inside San Jose National High School, killing three people and injuring several others.
Hontiveros said one of the alleged shooters had posted a photo wearing a KMFDM shirt on social media. While she clarified that the band has no known connection to “764,” she said some members of NVE networks reportedly use the shirt to glorify the Columbine High School massacre.
She also noted that alleged members of the extremist network praised the suspect on Facebook after the attack.
The senator stressed that these are not yet confirmed findings and that she has already submitted the information to the National Bureau of Investigation for verification and further investigation.
“I want to be very clear: These are not yet final conclusions. Ang mga ito ay leads,” she said, adding that authorities should determine whether a larger network is involved before more children become victims.
Hontiveros also clarified that she is not advocating a blanket ban on video games, but instead called for stronger online safeguards and appropriate regulation to protect children from groomers and extremist recruiters.
She urged the government to respond to warning signs early and strengthen measures against online exploitation to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
