GoreBox declines invite to attend Senate probe on Tacloban shooting

GoreBox developer Felix Filip, the person behind the mobile game authorities are linking to the deadly Tacloban City school shooting, has declined to attend the Senate probe on the tragic incident.

“Nakakadismaya na pinili ni Mr. Filip na huwag dumalo sa darating na hearing namin lalo na’t marami sana akong gustong malaman mula sa kanya mismo,” said Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday.

(It is disappointing that Mr. Filip decided not to participate in the hearing, especially because we had a lot of questions on the game he developed.)

EXPLAINER: GoreBox– the now-banned game linked to the Tacloban school shooting

Hontiveros, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, said she will seek the help of the German Embassy to facilitate the participation of Germany-based Felix Filip in the legislative inquiry scheduled next week, July 1.

“My committee remains open to facilitate his attendance and participation in our investigation in case he changes his mind. Hindi dito nagtatapos ang aming pagnanais na marinig siya,” she added.

(My committee remains open to facilitate his attendance and participation in our investigation in case he changes his mind. Our desire to hear his side do not end here.)

Hontiveros said the game developer informed the Committee Secretariat through email that he would not attend the hearing, either in person or through Zoom. She expressed disappointment on Filip’s decision, adding she is hoping to directly ask Filip about the Gorebox’s guardrails, including age safeguards, content moderation, and possible exposure of young users to harmful online communities or behavior.

“Any developer or online company that wants to operate here, profit from Filipino users, and reach Filipino children must respect our laws and our institutions. This should be the bare minimum for them to do business here. Kung ayaw nilang kilalanin, mananagot rin sila,” Hontiveros said.

(Any developer or online company that wants to operate here, profit from Filipino users, and reach Filipino children must respect our laws and our institutions. This should be the bare minimum for them to do business here. If they do not want to acknowledge that, then they should be held accountable.)

LIVE UPDATES: Tacloban school shooting (June 26, 2026)

On Monday, two minors — aged 14 and 15 — opened fire inside the San Jose National High School in Barangay San Jose, leaving three people dead and many others injured.

Initial police investigation showed one of the suspects is an “avid player” of GoreBox, prompting the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to suspend the physics-driven sandbox game.

According to Hontiveros, the Senate panel is targeting to examine the broader chain of failures that may have contributed to the school shooting, including possible grooming, radicalization, and normalization of violence in online platforms.

“Hindi natin sinasabing isang laro lang ang dahilan ng trahedyang ito. Pero kung may online environment na maaaring naging bahagi ng pagkakalantad ng mga bata sa karahasan, tungkulin nating siyasatin iyon,” the lawmaker added.

(We’re not saying the tragedy was caused by one game but if there’s an online environment that may have exposed children to violence, then it is our responsibility to probe that.) —VAL, GMA News