Manila: The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Tuesday announced a temporary ban on the mobile game GoreBox in response to a school shooting incident in Tacloban City that resulted in the deaths of three students and left 20 others injured.

According to Philippines News Agency,CICC Undersecretary Renato 'Aboy' Paraiso stated that the decision to impose the temporary ban came after an initial police investigation revealed that one of the Grade 9 students involved in the San Jose National High School shooting was an avid player of GoreBox. This online game is known for allowing players to use various weapons and includes graphic depictions of violence.

Paraiso explained that the game will be blocked as a precautionary measure during the ongoing investigation. He assured that the app would be blocked within the day to prevent further access.

In a collaborative effort, CICC has joined forces with the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the CICC's Threat Monitoring Center (TMC) to enhance surveillance of online activities on GoreBox and similar platforms. Paraiso emphasized the importance of investigating possible online influences that may have contributed to the tragic event, allowing authorities to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the game's impact.

He urged the public to report incidents of cyberbullying and other online threats to the CICC Hotline 1326 or via email at [email protected].

GoreBox, launched in 2023 for Android phones and later available on PCs through the Steam store, is marketed as a 'physics-driven sandbox game where creativity meets unrestrained destruction.'

In light of the incident, the Marcos administration has indicated its openness to considering legislative measures to regulate access to violent content, particularly for minors.