THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating whether online mentors pushed the teenage shooter in Zamboanga toward violence and extremism, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said on Thursday.
Vida said law enforcement agencies are pursuing leads involving people who allegedly communicate with children, recruit them into group chats and influence their behavior — including encouraging them to seek approval or guidance after carrying out violent acts.
“We have teams looking at possibilities,” Vida said, emphasizing that the investigation remains active and that authorities can disclose only broad details for now.
The Justice chief said investigators are examining online interactions in which minors are targeted, engaged and “mentored,” including communications where children ask others whether what they have done was acceptable or what they should do next.
“We’re pursuing all these leads,” Vida said.
On Aug. 18, the Grade 9 student opened fire at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University high school, killing a schoolmate before killing himself. Because the shooter chose to livestream the incident with a body-worn camera, the tragedy has placed the role of social media and violent online rhetoric under a microscope, fueling fears that such platforms are playing a key role in inspiring similar attacks.
The incident was the second fatal school shooting in the Philippines following the June shooting in Tacloban City. The back-to-back attacks have intensified calls for stronger school security, tighter firearm controls and closer monitoring of online activity involving minors.
Vida said authorities are also looking into whether the Zamboanga attack could fall within the framework of terrorism or violent extremism.
He pointed to the element of creating fear among the public — one of the core concerns when authorities assess whether an act constitutes terrorism.
“As to the aspect of it being a terrorist act, definitely, we can see that because the purpose of terrorism is to sow fear,” Vida said.
But he said investigators are still establishing the facts and that no definitive conclusion should be drawn while the investigation is ongoing.
The Justice secretary appealed to parents and guardians to take a more active role in monitoring what children do online.
He also called on the public and the media to exercise restraint in sharing graphic or violent material from the attack, warning of the danger of copycat behavior.
“The real power here is the power of restraint,” Vida said.
He urged Filipinos not to repost or amplify violent videos simply because they are shocking or sensational, saying repeated circulation could help create a culture in which violent acts are normalized and potentially inspire copycats.
Vida said authorities are still studying whether people who merely reshare violent material could face criminal liability. He noted that existing jurisprudence raises serious free-speech and liberty concerns, particularly when the person sharing the material is not directly involved in the underlying offense.
NVE threat
Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros raised the alarm over the growing threat of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) networks that groom children to commit violence against others and themselves, saying the phenomenon may have influenced recent school shootings.
