The Philippine government has temporarily blocked the gaming application Gorebox after preliminary investigations linked the ultra-violent platform to a teenage suspect involved in a rare school shooting.
The incident, which occurred on Monday at San Jose National High School in Tacloban, resulted in the deaths of three students and left 20 others wounded. Authorities allege that two suspects, aged 15 and 14, carried out the attack using handguns inside a classroom.
The Cybercrime Investigation and Co-ordinating Centre confirmed that the 14-year-old suspect was a regular player of Gorebox, a first-person shooter described on Google Play as a game where “creativity meets unrestrained destruction,” reports BBC.
“Temporarily blocking the game will allow authorities to conduct a thorough assessment into whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects,” stated Aboy Paraiso, an undersecretary at the centre.
Allan Rae Co, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, noted that the 14-year-old appeared “heavily influenced” by online content and had been posting violent material on social media. While police filed murder charges against the 15-year-old suspect late Tuesday, the 14-year-old is too young to be charged under Philippine law.
The investigation revealed that the weapons used in the shooting were obtained from family sources. The 14-year-old allegedly fired a 9mm pistol belonging to his aunt, a policewoman who has since been suspended. The 15-year-old used a .38 calibre revolver registered to his grandfather’s security agency.
Akbayan party-list congressman Chel Diokno has called for more stringent penalties for individuals who allow minors access to firearms.
Police believe the shooting was motivated by a “grudge” related to bullying. According to the preliminary investigation, the two boys holed themselves up in a school bathroom before the attack, with Co stating, “All indications point to the fact that it was planned”.
A friend of the 15-year-old suspect described him as an “uptight” individual who frequently fought with bullies. The friend added that the boy appeared to “know everything” about guns and suggested he was influenced by his grandfather’s disciplined, army-style upbringing.
The shooting has sparked a national debate regarding the impact of digital violence. Senator Risa Hontiveros warned that online platforms have become “nests for brainwashing and radicalising our youth”.
Education Minister Sonny Angara expressed the government’s deep concern, stating they wish to avoid “a situation seen in the United States, where there have been concerns about copycat incidents”.
Meanwhile, Joy Belmonte, the mayor of Quezon City, called for an immediate review of security protocols and emergency drills in schools.
Gorebox, developed by Germany’s F2Games, carries an R18 rating from the International Age Rating Coalition due to its explicit and unrestrictive gameplay. While scientific studies have yet to establish a direct link between video games and violent behaviour, the Philippine government maintains the ban is a necessary precautionary measure during the ongoing investigation.
