DICT finds no link between child suicide and Momo Challenge

Investigation showed no direct evidence that the suicide of an 11-year-old boy in Quezon City was related to the so-called Momo Challenge, Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said on Monday.

Rio made the remark during the meeting of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology.

The Department of Information and Communication Technology earlier formed a task force to look into the child suicide linked to the online challenge.

"Upon investigation, walang directly nakapag-relate sa death and the Momo Challenge. The death was caused by some psychological problem of the child concerned," Rio said.

The police also conducted its own investigation, Rio said, but they could not find evidence that would like the child's suicide to the internet phenomenon.

"Wala silang nakita doon sa sinabi ng parent that the Momo Challenge was being subscribed to by the child kasi dapat nandun sa cellphone niya yung thread ng communication na do this, do that," he said.

"Ang sabi ng parent, binura na ng victim pero kahit na sana, we are requesting na baka ma-forensic yung cellphone niya, pero hindi pinayagan ng parent," he added.

The Momo Challenge involves an image of a creepy scupture from Japan that challenges netizens, mostly children, to do harm to themselves or to others.

The challenge is reportedly spread via messaging apps, social media platforms and even on Youtube.

But Rio said that it was actually the media who only blew the internet phenomenon out of proportion.

He recalled that a week after the suicide of the 11-year-old, another teenage boy in Iloilo disappeared supposedly because of the Momo Challenge.

But when the teenager surfaced, it was found that the boy only used the Momo Challenge as an excuse so that he could go to his friends.

"Talagang hindi ma-relate ang Momo Challenge sa after cases," Rio said.

Nevertheless, the DICT took the issue seriously and launched a public information drive regarding the Momo Challenge, Rio said.

"In fact, the NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) is helping us, nagb-blast na ang mga telcos to be careful in the Momo Challenge," he said.

He also said proper parenting is important to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content from the internet.