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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Hontiveros: Tacloban shooting possibly linked to '764' online extremist network

Hontiveros: Tacloban shooting possibly linked to '764' online extremist network

Published Jul 1, 2026 12:31 pm
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday said there are indications that the June 22 school shooting in Tacloban City involving minors may have been influenced by the online extremist network known as "764."
A mobile device displays the interface of the video game GoreBox on June 25, 2026. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) imposed a temporary ban on the physics-driven sandbox game after police investigators found that a 14-year-old Grade 9 student involved in a fatal school shooting in Tacloban City was a frequent player prior to the incident. (John Louie Abrina)
A mobile device displays the interface of the video game GoreBox on June 25, 2026. The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) imposed a temporary ban on the physics-driven sandbox game after police investigators found that a 14-year-old Grade 9 student involved in a fatal school shooting in Tacloban City was a frequent player prior to the incident. (John Louie Abrina)
During the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality hearing on the Tacloban shooting, Hontiveros said the group allegedly targets vulnerable minors online by first offering them a sense of belonging before encouraging them to engage in increasingly violent and harmful acts.
According to Hontiveros, the group originated in Texas, United States, and was allegedly founded by then-15-year-old Bradley Cadenhead, who claimed he started "764" with the help of an individual he met through the online game Minecraft. She said the group's name was derived from the first three digits of Cadenhead's Texas ZIP code.
Quoting the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Hontiveros said leaders of the network have allegedly coerced victims into producing graphic sexual content, harming family pets, self-harming, and even committing suicide.
"Kinakaibigan muna. Binibigyan ng sense of belonging. Pinaparamdam na may lugar sila. At saka unti-unting hinihikayat sa mas madilim at mas mapanganib na gawain (First, they are befriended. They are given a sense of belonging. They are made to feel that they have a place. And then, little by little, they are encouraged into darker and more dangerous activities)," she said.
Hontiveros also said the network has gained international attention, noting that Canada has designated 764 as a terrorist group, while U.S. authorities, including the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ), have described it as a national security threat and have warned parents about its activities.
She added that nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) networks such as 764 have allegedly used online games popular among young people—including Roblox, Minecraft, and GoreBox—as recruitment platforms.
Inside these online communities, Hontiveros said members allegedly circulate materials involving sextortion, instructions on making weapons or explosives, and other dangerous activities.
"The difficult part is that if a child does not experience respect, acceptance, or a sense of belonging in real life, those gaps are filled by harmful online communities—with a heavy price: obedience, violence, and sometimes even killing," she said.

Related Tags

Risa Hontiveros Tacloban school shooting Nihilistic Violent Extremism online games
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