Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Johnson Manabat

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) said its ban on sandbox video game GoreBox will remains until its developer puts in safety measures to protect its players, most of whom are minors.CICC Undersecretary Renato “Aboy” Paraiso told ABS-CBN News that GoreBox developer F2Games has yet to reach out to them after the government banned access to the game after a school shooting in Tacloban City that left three students dead and several others wounded.”So Gorebox is extremely violent, extremely visual na shooter game na nada-download sa Android lang and its a web-based application. ‘Pag tinatamaan yung mga tao very gory, hence the name Gorebox,” he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2026/6/24/do-video-games-cause-violence-tacloban-shooting-triggers-debate-1743">Do video games cause violence? Tacloban shooting triggers debate</a></div>He said there are about 10 million GoreBox users worldwide, relatively lower than other much popular online games such as Roblox that has around 11.1 billion registered users worldwide.“Wala siyang safety mechanisms. Wala siyang age verification. It&#x27;s easily downloadable by children and, again, nakita namin yung appeal niya doon sa mga bata na its addictive, its suggestive at talagang maaring magamit dun sa mga kinakatakutan natin na grooming na sexual predation,” according to Paraiso.The game, Paraiso said, could be one of the factors that influenced the behavior of the minor suspects in the school shooting spree in Tacloban.  ”Hindi lang siya naimpluwensiyahan but they were radicalized — dito sila nagpa-practice. For example, nasasanay ka na masanay sa goreness, dun sa pagiging masyadong bayolente. So there’s definitely a correlation between the game and the actions put out by these children,” he said.According to licensed psychologist Tricia Zafra, violent online games may have a correlation on the behavior and actions of the minors involved in the Tacloban shooting incident but added other factors may have contributed to their actions.&quot;Merong mga study na nagpapakita ng correlation — ibig sabihin, mayroong nakikitang koneksiyon sa pagitan ng dalawang variable…yung behavior, saka yung violent na video game pero walang causation. Ang isa pang [lumalabas sa mga] pag-aaral ay tumataas yung pagkakataon na gayahin nila (ng mga bata) o gawin din nila yung mga aggressive o violent behavior na ito kung nakikita nila na ito ay hinahangaan, pinupuri, pinapalakpakan or nare-reward pa,” Zafra told ABS-CBN News.Dominic Ligot, Philippine AI Business Association director of AI ethics and data governance said parents or guardians should be more open in discussing this issues to their children.“You have to know what games your children are playing. Its like speaking to kids about pornography — hindi &#x27;yan pinag-uusapan masyado and &#x27;yan din yung nagiging results sa teenage pregnacies. Its the same banana. Dapat alam mo yung mga games na nilalaro ng anak mo,” Ligot said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/24/tacloban-school-shooter-attended-flag-ceremony-hid-in-cr-before-crime-pnp-0950">Tacloban school shooter attended flag ceremony, hid in CR before crime: PNP</a></div>Experts believe there are indications if children or minors are already addicted to online games.”Pansinin ‘nyo, may pagbabago doon sa attitude. Nagiging iritable, nagiging pasaway yung mga batang ‘to. Second is pinaprayoritize nila yung games — hindi na sumasama sa family outings. Ang third: Tumatakas na sa&#x27;tin, nagiging secretive,” said Paraiso.“Kung napapansin nyo na nagiging withdrawn — mapag-isa yung bata hindi nakukuwento, hindi nakikipag-usap, isa yun sa mga kailangang pagtuunanng pansin,” Zafra said.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said its ban on sandbox video game GoreBox will remains until its developer puts in safety measures to protect its players, most of whom are minors.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center said its ban on sandbox video game GoreBox will remains until its developer puts in safety measures to protect its players, most of whom are minors.

CICC: GoreBox ban to stay until developer adds safeguards

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CICC: GoreBox ban to stay until developer adds safeguards

Johnson Manabat,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 24, 2026 07:06 PM PHT

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Updated June 26, 2026 12:01 PM PHT

Read More:

Renato Paraiso

CICC

Tricia Zafra

Gorebox

Dominic Ligot

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