Nineteen minors aged 12 to 15 had been rescued in six operations linked to online grooming and extremist activity traced to gaming platforms, the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) said Tuesday.
At a Senate hearing, Col. Romeo Desiderio of the PNP-ACG said the cases include a foiled school attack in Calamba, Laguna, allegedly planned by seven high school students for their February foundation week.
Authorities said the plot involved instructions on using improvised weapons, including Molotov cocktails, improvised explosive devices, and even a fire extinguisher for a “flash blinding effect,” based on online exchanges monitored by investigators.
“It also stated a desire to carry out a school shooting locally and an intent to die by suicide. This is the information we got from these Facebook messages,” Desiderio said.
Police said intelligence from foreign counterparts led them to a Facebook account linked to the suspects, with initial contact reportedly made through the gaming platform Roblox before shifting to private messaging.
Other rescue operations were conducted in Marikina, Las Piñas, Negros Occidental and Pampanga. Authorities said most of the minors attend private schools. Seven additional cases are under investigation.
Nazi wannabes
Officials said platforms such as Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty and Free Fire are being used by offenders to groom minors, beginning with in-game chats and later moving to private channels.
Investigators also found minors allegedly encouraged to wear extremist or Nazi-related clothing and prepare manifestos or final video statements.
Renato Aboy Paraiso of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said grooming cases require direct government intervention beyond content regulation.
Roblox had faced a possible ban this month, but the Department of Information and Communications Technology allowed continued operations after the company committed to stronger safety measures.
The platform is rolling out new account types — “Roblox Kids” for users under nine and “Roblox Select” for those aged nine to 15 — with stricter controls on chat and content.
Chat will remain disabled by default for younger users, while older minors will have access only to filtered communication with peers and approved contacts.
Facing ban
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda said the measures must translate into “real, measurable protection,” adding that regulators will closely monitor compliance.
Roblox has provided a “green lane” for complaints, allowing parents to report cases through Hotline 1326.
Despite the changes, authorities warned the platform could still face a ban if safeguards fail, noting that foreign-based platforms remain subject to Philippine child protection laws.