Philippines Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre announced an indefinite block of the online gaming app Gorebox as part of a police investigation into a livestreamed school shooting in Zamboanga, Philippines.
On 18 August 2026 a grade‑9 student carried out a shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga high‑school campus, livestreaming parts of the attack on Facebook Live and later taking his own life. The incident, the second fatal school shooting in the country within two months, prompted a police investigation that examined the suspect’s digital activities.
A few days after the attack, the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Centre (CICC) – the Philippines’ specialised unit for cyber‑crime enforcement – announced that it had indefinitely blocked the online gaming application “Gorebox”.
> ‘The decision to temporarily block Gorebox was prompted by an ongoing police investigation which showed that one suspect was an avid user of the app,’ the CICC said in a statement.
The block is described as a temporary measure to allow authorities to assess whether the platform played any role in fostering the violence. Officials said they would review the suspect’s gaming and chat histories as part of a broader forensic analysis.
Police and interior‑department officials also urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified photos, videos or reports that could cause unnecessary concern.
Key points
- The CICC acted under its mandate to investigate cyber‑related aspects of the shooting.
- Gorebox was blocked indefinitely while its role in the case is examined.
- Authorities highlighted the need for responsible online behaviour and cautioned against the spread of unverified content.
- The incident underscores ongoing challenges for digital platform governance and online safety in the Philippines.
The move represents a concrete regulatory response linking online platform use with offline violent acts, illustrating how law‑enforcement agencies are employing digital tools and interventions in the wake of emerging threats.
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