In brief
The Philippines has temporarily blocked the mobile game Gorebox after police linked a teenage suspect in a school shooting to the app. Three students were killed and 20 wounded at a Tacloban high school when two 15‑ and 14‑year‑olds fired handguns, experts say the guns were owned by the suspects’ relatives. Cyber‑crime officials said the game might have influenced the boys, and a formal investigation is underway. Senate leaders are calling for stricter online content controls and tighter gun‑access rules for minors.
Three students died and a further 20 were injured when two teenagers opened fire inside a classroom in Tacloban on Monday. Police say that the 14‑year‑old suspect was an avid player of the first‑person shooter game Gorebox and may have been influenced by the violent content.
The game, which allows players to “obliterate anything” and “engage in brutal combat with an extensive arsenal of weapons and explosives”, was temporarily blocked by the Philippine cyber‑crime agency while authorities review any possible link between the app and the tragedy.
The 15‑year‑old suspect has been charged with murder. The 14‑year‑old, whose gun was owned by a policewoman aunt, cannot yet be prosecuted because of his age.
Senators and education officials are calling for tighter controls on online content aimed at children and stricter gun‑access laws for minors, warning that the internet can become a “nest for brain‑washing”.
In a related incident, a 2009 shooting in Maguindanao resulted in 58 deaths, showing how gun violence can erupt even in a country where mass shootings are rare. The current case has shocked officials who worry about potential copy‑cat incidents and the need for school safety drills.
The government is reviewing security protocols and urging schools to improve emergency drills. While no causal link between gameplay and violent behaviour has been proven, the authorities are taking a proactive approach to curb potential online influences.
