Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday, August 19 filed a resolution seeking further investigation into the disturbing pattern of serious violent activities perpetrated by children.

In filing Senate Resolution No. 610, Hontiveros sought an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the shooting incident that rocked the Tumaga Campus of Ateneo de Zamboanga University that led to the death of two students.

Hontiveros noted that the recovered firearms used by the shooter were owned by his father, a Bureau of Customs (BOC) employee.

“While the investigation is ongoing and the motive for the shooting is still unclear, what remains certain is that schools must be zones of peace and learning with no place for violence or killing,” Hontiveros said in her resolution.

The senator said it is imperative to look into the matter considering that the Ateneo de Zamboanga University conducted its first Human-Induced Simulation Exercise last July 18, 2026. The exercise simulated an active shooter incident and enabled its participants to train and rehearse lockdown procedures and emergency response protocols.

“It is regrettable that this proactive initiative by the University would come into use so soon,” she said.

Disturbing still, she said, is the fact that the shooting incident was livestreamed and videos were quick to circulate online, along with unverified reports and information.

“This highlighted, the need for more responsible reporting and information dissemination to avoid panic and sowing confusion among the parents and families of the students inside the campus and the public and to discourage copycat crimes,” she pointed out.

The lawmaker lamented that since the tragedy of the Tacloban shooting, there had been numerous instances of violence, including bomb and shooting threats, as well as stabbing perpetrated by students against their fellow students, one of which resulted in a fatality.

“This phenomenon of serious violent activity, possibly characterized by nihilist violent extremism perpetrated, by young students against their fellow students in places of learning, while relatively recent, has already cut short one too many lives,” she further stated in the resolution.

During the plenary discussion on the anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children, Hontiveros said she is keen on expanding Senate Bill No. 1819 into the "Child Online Protection and Safety Act" incorporating provisions that would address nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) involving minors.  

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which she chairs, has characterized NVE as a phenomenon where malicious individuals online groom young people to commit heinous acts.

“Working together with DOJ and the NCC-OSAEC, as well as with other relevant stakeholders like child protection non-government organizations (NGOs), we were able to craft provisions that would amend the bill and provide our law enforcement authorities dealing with NVE the strong tools we provide for our anti-OSAEC work,” she further said.

According to Hontiveros, these new amendments would allow the issuance of investigative subpoenas for subscriber and traffic data information, provide greater tools for wider intelligence gathering and undercover online operations.