By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday, June 30, clarified that she never called for banning Gorebox or other online games following the Tacloban school shooting.
In a Facebook post, Hontiveros stressed that the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which she chairs, has not issued any recommendation or findings on the incident and is still set to conduct its inquiry.
“So don’t be fooled by those who spread fake news over the weekend. Let’s get to the truth,” she said, emphasizing that the committee’s focus is on uncovering facts and hearing from all stakeholders.
Hontiveros explained that while authorities linked the case to possible influence of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE), her committee has yet to hold its hearing scheduled for July 1.
She reiterated that her priority is to gather insights from parents, victims, law enforcement, government agencies, and even game developers to understand the broader issues of online safety, parental control, and exposure to harmful content.
The senator underscored that her push is not about banning games outright but about ensuring safeguards, accountability, and protections for children both online and offline.
