(Photo courtesy SJNHS)
TACLOBAN CITY – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified eight minors allegedly exposed to online grooming and exploitation during its investigation into the deadly school shooting in Tacloban City on June 22, 2026, potentially preventing further violent incidents.
NBI Eastern Visayas Regional Director Jeremy Lotoc said investigators uncovered the cases while tracking individuals suspected of using online platforms to influence vulnerable children into committing violent acts.
“The eight minors, including a three-year-old child, exposed to sadistic online exploitation (SOE) and online grooming are all from Tacloban. The intention is really to create chaos, but we’re able to prevent that,” Lotoc told the Philippine News Agency in an interview late Wednesday.
The discovery stemmed from the bureau’s continuing investigation into the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School, which left three students dead and 20 others injured.
According to Lotoc, investigators found indications that online groomers were targeting minors experiencing personal difficulties, including problems involving their families or schools.
“One of their methodologies is to find vulnerable minors such as those with problems with their families or schools and influenced to carry out attacks. The radicalization is a convergence of factors, but online influence plays a big part,” he said.
Sadistic online exploitation refers to a severe form of online abuse in which perpetrators manipulate, threaten or coerce vulnerable individuals, particularly children, into harmful activities.
According to child protection organization Thorn, perpetrators may be motivated by notoriety, status within online communities or extremist beliefs rather than financial gain.
Online grooming, meanwhile, involves offenders using social media, online games, messaging applications and other digital platforms to establish relationships with children before manipulating or exploiting them.
The NBI said the findings highlighted the need to strengthen awareness of online threats, particularly among parents, teachers and students.
As part of its response, the agency launched a cybersecurity awareness campaign on October 28 to help communities identify warning signs of online grooming, exploitation and possible radicalization.
The initiative initially targeted hundreds of students at San Jose National High School, where the June shooting occurred.
The campaign aims to educate students about online safety while helping parents and educators recognize suspicious interactions and behavior that may indicate exploitation.
Lotoc said six other schools in Tacloban City have expressed interest in participating in the initiative.
The NBI plans to expand its information campaign to strengthen community awareness and help prevent children from becoming victims of online manipulation or being influenced to engage in violence.
The bureau’s findings remain part of an ongoing investigation into the online activities and individuals allegedly connected to the June 22 school shooting.
