“Yung micro-credentials, it’s not a four-year course. It’s not a degree. But you can present this to qualify for a job,” said President Marcos.
AUTHORITIES have rescued seven minor students who were allegedly recruited online to carry out acts of violence, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Monday. The operation, conducted by the PNP’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), was initiated following intelligence from foreign law enforcement partners regarding suspicious activities within the online gaming community.
The PNP reports that chat groups and online discussions on gaming platforms served as both recruitment and psychological influence channels.
These online communities allegedly encouraged violent acts, including assaults and mass shootings, with some conversations even suggesting suicide after the attacks. The PNP noted that discussions within these groups reportedly idolized perpetrators of mass murders and mass shootings.
In response, PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has directed the ACG to intensify its monitoring of online gaming communities and chat platforms where extremist recruiters might target minors. The ACG has also been instructed to collaborate with gaming platform developers to promptly flag and remove suspicious accounts. General Nartatez stated that the government is currently assessing the adequacy of existing laws to address this emerging threat.
The PNP chief also issued a strong call to parents, urging them to actively monitor their children’s online activities. “Let’s be ‘digital guardians’,” Nartatez advised.
“Let’s not leave children alone with the screen. Know who they are playing with.” He further emphasized the importance of treating online interactions with the same caution as real-world encounters, stating, “Gaming is a social space. If you wouldn’t let a stranger into your house, don’t let them into your child’s headset or chatbox.”
