SENATOR Risa Hontiveros raised serious concerns on Wednesday that the deadly June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City could be connected to “764,” an online extremist network allegedly targeting children to draw them into violence, self‑harm, and harmful content.
She shared this observation during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, citing early indicators linking the incident to a broader nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) movement.
According to Hontiveros, the group “764” has already been flagged internationally: the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation classifies it as a national security threat, while Canada has designated it as a terrorist organization.
She explained how it operates: “The FBI itself confirmed that its leaders push followers to create graphic pornography, harm animals, inflict self‑injury, or even attempt suicide.” The recruitment method is gradual — members first befriend young users, give them a sense of belonging, and slowly introduce them to increasingly dangerous and destructive behaviors.
The senator also warned that these extremist networks are expanding their reach through popular online platforms and games, including Roblox, Minecraft, and GoreBox. She emphasized that the case in Tacloban highlights the urgent need to protect minors from hidden dangers in the digital space, calling for stronger safeguards, monitoring, and public awareness to stop such groups from exploiting vulnerable children and inciting violence.
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