The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has issued a temporary ban on the mobile game GoreBox following the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City that claimed the lives of three students and injured 20 others.
Photo: Google Play
According to a statement published by the Philippine News Agency, CICC Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso said the temporary ban was imposed because one of the minor suspects was a frequent user of the game.
Authorities said they are investigating whether the student may have been influenced by the online game.
“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 and determine whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects,” Paraiso said.
GoreBox is a sandbox-style game launched in 2023 that allows players to simulate destruction by experimenting with various weapons and destroying objects. Unlike games that follow a structured storyline or mission-based gameplay, GoreBox gives players the freedom to create and manipulate environments as they see fit.
The mobile game is rated 18+ due to its extreme violence.
The temporary ban aims to protect the “safety” and “well-being” of Filipino children who are exposed to online content.
Aside from the temporary ban on GoreBox, the CICC has also partnered with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the CICC’s Threat Monitoring Center (TMC) to monitor online activities on GoreBox and other similar platforms.
On June 22, two minor suspects, aged 14 and 15, carried out a school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. The two Grade 9 students, who were reportedly close friends, allegedly entered two classrooms and opened fire before they were arrested.
Both suspects are currently under investigation, while affected students and school personnel are receiving medical care and psychosocial support to help them recover from the traumatic incident.
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