DILG seeks to abolish access to nihilistic sites

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla has called for a total ban on websites and online platforms that promote violence and hate following three deadly school shooting incidents in the country this year.

Together with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Remulla visited yesterday Banga National High School in South Cotabato, where a 16-year-old Grade 9 student shot 10 of his schoolmates on Friday, killing three, including himself, and wounding eight using a handgun owned by his father, who is a Department of Education (DepEd) employee.

Citing a police investigation report, Remulla said the student had been exposed to the deep dark web and was suffering from depression.

A background check on the suspect also showed that he had many friends and was neither a bully nor bullied in school.

Two other school shooting incidents in Tacloban and Zamboanga were perpetrated by students who were hooked on violent online games.

“This is the dark side of the unlimited access to the internet and it is time that we act as a community,” Remulla said.

In response, the government asked the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to make such websites inaccessible not only to minors but also to adults.

The NTC has since blocked two websites showing real-world violence upon the request of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.

“The NTC has already directed our ISPs (internet service providers) to block access to these websites,” Co said at a news briefing in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

PNP spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co did not identify the websites, which authorities said were being used by predators to groom minors to commit violence such as mass shootings.

Other violent websites and online platforms are also being considered for blocking.

VP blames government

Vice President Sara Duterte also visited Banga to meet victims of the shooting and express her condolences.

During her visit, she called on authorities to gather and process all information related to the Banga shooting and create a culture of security within schools.

“We can see that if a child feels that there is no safe space where he or she would be allowed to talk about his or her feelings and what is going through his or her mind, they will look elsewhere such as in the social media, or other groups that they could find in the Internet,” she said. “This reminds us that when a government prioritizes political consolidation over fundamental governance, the protection of children is inevitably compromised.”

“The Marcos administration has failed the victims and survivors of the South Cotabato tragedy. Countless more Filipino children remain at risk of becoming casualties of this government’s incompetence and neglect,” she added. “We deserve better leadership than this.”

Digital safety

The DepEd, for its part, proposed adding another layer of school security through a School Digital Safety Campaign.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said the department had already implemented several physical security measures in schools but stressed that keeping children safe also requires addressing risks in their digital lives.

“Keeping our children safe today means understanding that their world extends beyond the classroom and into their phones, games, group chats and social media. We need to give children, parents and teachers the knowledge and tools to navigate these spaces safely,” Angara said.

The campaign will provide practical and age-appropriate guidance on safe chatting and online behavior, grooming and online child exploitation, cyberbullying and online harassment, privacy, scams and protecting personal information.

It will also cover responsible social media use, gaming and online safety, exposure to violent or harmful online content, healthy screen time and digital well-being, as well as warning signs, reporting, referral and what to do when something happens.

In line with this, the Senate yesterday passed a twin bill seeking to protect children in schools and online against sexual exploitation and nihilistic violent extremism.

One of the bills is the SAGIP Bata Act. Sen. Risa Hontiveros explained that the bill aims to address emerging threats, including online grooming and recruitment of children for serious violent activities and nihilistic violent extremism.

The Senate also approved Sen. Bam Aquino’s Comprehensive School Safety Act, which would require schools to establish localized safety plans, emergency protocols and measures for prevention, response and recovery, including psychosocial support.

“Schools should be a safe space where our children learn, develop their character, and build their dreams. It should not be a place of fear, harm, or violence,” Aquino said.

Both bills received 17 votes, with no objections or abstentions.

Mental health epidemic

Aside from digital safety, DepEd has also called for stronger mental health support for learners and closer school communities.

Speaking before more than 5,000 teachers at the Quezon Educators Research Convention in Lucena City on Sunday, Angara urged educators to look beyond academics and become more aware of the personal circumstances and struggles of their students.

“There is a mental health epidemic among our youth today. We must acknowledge it, understand it and look into the roots of it,” he said.

Citing the Sept. 18 shooting in Banga, Angara said the incident should serve as a wake-up call for the education sector as adolescents face emotional distress and growing exposure to social media and online communities.

Echoing Angara, Quezon Gov. Angelina Tan called for a holistic approach involving schools, families, health workers and local governments to identify mental health concerns among children before these develop into more serious problems.

She also stressed the need for teachers, parents and local officials to work together in recognizing changes in learners’ behavior and addressing their concerns early.

Other threats?

Two teenagers, meanwhile, posted threatening remarks on Facebook days after the deadly Banga shooting.

One was an 18-year-old student in Tupi, South Cotabato, who was arrested Sunday night for brandishing a handgun on Facebook.

The suspect, identified only as Ailaden, was apprehended in Barangay Poblacion at around 10:30 p.m. and is facing complaints for alarm and scandal in relation to Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

Student, 13, threatens violence

Meanwhile, a 13-year-old Grade 8 student in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, was rescued after making two Facebook posts threatening to shoot people at Kapingkong National High School.

The first post read, “We will be the ones to carry out the shooting incident at Kapingkong tomorrow, I will kill them all” and was accompanied by a photograph of a short firearm.

The student made a second post with a picture of a long firearm and threatened to kill everyone on campus.

Nartatez said the cases should remind people to use social media responsibly and avoid posting messages that could threaten public safety, particularly in schools and communities.

“Let this be a reminder that social media is not a place to make threats or create fear,” he said.

He also urged the public not to repost unverified threats and reminded parents, schools and communities to guide students on responsible online behavior. — Michelle Zoleta, Evelyn Macairan, John Unson, Marc Jayson Cayabyab