Philippines pushes juvenile justice reform and terror‑grooming legislation after Tacloban school shooting

On June 22, a school shooting in Tacloban left three students dead and about 20 injured. The incident has sparked a national push for new approaches to juvenile justice, citing international models such as New Zealand’s family‑group conferencing, Canada’s victim‑offender mediation, and Norway’s Barnahus trauma‑informed centers. Advocates argue the Philippines should expand diversion programs, create safe processing spaces for youth, and involve families and communities in accountability.

At the same time, officials are focusing on preventing “terror grooming” of young people. The National Security Council released a journal on the psychology and prevention of terror grooming, and NTF‑ELCAC chief Ernesto Torres Jr. backed pending Terror Grooming and Radicalization Prevention Acts that would criminalize extremist recruitment of minors. As a precaution, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center temporarily banned the sandbox game GoreBox after one suspect was identified as a regular player. Authorities stress the need for stronger child‑protection measures, mental‑health support, and school guidance systems to curb radicalization and violence.