Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday urged the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate possible links between the Tacloban City school shooting and a violent online extremist network known as “764,” warning that vulnerable minors may be targeted through gaming and social media platforms.
During the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on the Tacloban shooting and the impact of online gaming platforms on children, Hontiveros said there were indications that the two teenage shooters may have been influenced by the 764 network.
“May mga indikasyon po na ang naganap na pamamaril sa Tacloban ay may impluwensiya ng grupong tinatawag na ‘764,’” Hontiveros said.
She said 764 reportedly started in Texas in the United States and has since been linked to online grooming, coercion, self-harm, exploitation, and violent extremist content targeting minors.
According to Hontiveros, the group’s alleged method involves befriending vulnerable children online, giving them a sense of belonging, and gradually pushing them toward harmful or violent acts.
“Kinakaibigan nila. Binibigyan ng sense of belonging. Pinaparamdam na may lugar sila. At saka unti-unting hinihikayat sa mas madilim at mas mapanganib na gawain,” she said.
Hontiveros said the network has been described by law enforcement authorities abroad as a serious security threat, with Canada designating it as a terrorist group and US authorities warning parents about its activities.
“Global na ang reach ng 764. Sa Canada, dine-designate na ito bilang ‘terrorist group.’ Sa US naman, tinawag na ito ng FBI at Department of Justice nila na isang ‘national security threat,’” she said.
The senator said violent online extremist networks have become possible recruitment spaces for minors using gaming and social platforms, including Roblox, Minecraft, Gorebox, Discord, Reddit, Telegram, and Facebook.
She said such networks may expose children to materials involving sextortion, weapons, explosives, self-harm, animal cruelty, and other dangerous acts.
“Sa loob ng grupo, may mga materyales tungkol sa sextortion o yung pananakot gamit ang mga sexual images, meron ding tungkol sa paggawa ng armas o eksplosibo, at iba pang mapanganib na gawain,” Hontiveros said.
Hontiveros also disclosed several leads involving one of the Tacloban shooters, identified by the alias “Nash,” including alleged online activity and interactions with accounts believed to be connected to extremist communities.
She said one Facebook profile showed the teenager wearing a KMFDM shirt, which she clarified was not linked to the band itself but has reportedly been used by members of communities that glorify past school shooters.
Hontiveros said the teenager also allegedly created a dummy Facebook account under the name “Date Larping,” where apparent members of the same online circle later posted comments after the shooting.
“Pagkatapos ng barilan, nag-post ng comments sa page na ito ang tila mga miyembro ng parehong grupo. Makikita ang sinasabi ng mga miyembro ng grupo na sumusuporta sa ginawa niya,” she said.
She cited one comment allegedly made by an account named “Sedykh Ryazanov,” which told the shooter to delete Discord, Reddit, and Telegram accounts to remove evidence. Hontiveros said the account holder was suspected of being an adult groomer.
She said Meta confirmed that the accounts of Nash, Date Larping, and Sedykh Ryazanov had been active but were later deactivated, indicating that real persons were behind the profiles.
Hontiveros stressed, however, that the information she presented was not yet conclusive and should be treated as investigative leads.
“These are not yet final conclusions. Ang mga ito ay leads. Kaya pinadala na po natin ang kumpletong detalye nito sa NBI para sa beripikasyon at imbestigasyon,” she said.
She warned that a wider network may be operating and must be identified before more children are victimized.
“Posibleng may mas malawak na network at kailangang mahuli ito bago pa magkaroon ng susunod na mabibiktima,” Hontiveros said.
The senator also clarified that her call for investigation was not an attack on online games or gaming communities.
“Hindi games o gaming community ang kalaban. Tungkol ito sa mga panganib na puwedeng kaharapin ng mga bata habang naglalaro at nakikipag-usap online,” she said.
Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said the emergence of nihilistic violent extremism should alarm authorities because it can spread quietly through online spaces used by children.
“Nabanggit po ng ating chairperson yung lumalabas na termino ngayon na Nihilistic Violent Extremism. Marami po sa atin ang hindi alam kung ano ito,” Gatchalian said.
He said he was disturbed after learning more about the concept, which he described as teaching young people to become violent without clear reason.
“Nung nag-umpisa tayong tumingin, ako po ay kinilabutan dahil ang konseptong ito ay nagtuturo sa ating kabataan na maging bayolente nang wala pong dahilan,” he said.
Gatchalian said lawmakers should look beyond online games alone and examine the broader “violent online ecosystem” influencing children.
“Hindi lang natin tinitingnan ang online games, kundi ang kabuuan ng mga impluwensiyang nakaka-apekto po sa bata,” he said.