Philippines blocks GoreBox game after Tacloban school shooting

A school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City left three students dead and about 20 wounded. Police identified two teenage suspects, ages 14 and 15, who obtained a 9 mm pistol from a police officer relative and a .38 revolver from a security‑agency employee. The younger suspect was a frequent player of the ultra‑violent mobile game GoreBox, prompting the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) to temporarily block the app while it assesses whether the game influenced the attack. Undersecretary Aboy Paraiso said the precautionary ban will help determine “whether the platform played any role in the actions of the suspects.”

The incident, described as one of the worst school shootings in recent Philippine history, has spurred a broader inquiry ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and a Senate investigation into the impact of violent online content on children. Senators and education officials have called for tighter oversight of digital platforms and school security measures. GoreBox, developed by German studio F2Games and rated “+18,” remains blocked pending the investigation.