Manila: The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday urged parents to closely monitor their minor children's access to online games amid a monitored threat of gaming platforms being used to expose youth to violent extremist ideas. PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that while gaming platforms are designed for entertainment and social interaction, they can be exploited by malicious actors targeting vulnerable users, particularly minors.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PNP chief emphasized the need for collaboration to prevent children from being encouraged to engage in violence and illegal activities. He cited examples from other countries and expressed the PNP's commitment to preventing similar issues from taking root locally.
Gen. Nartatez directed the PNP's Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to intensify monitoring of online gaming communities and chat platforms where extremist recruiters may contact minors. The ACG is also coordinating with platform developers to flag and remove suspicious accounts promptly.
A recent operation by the PNP-ACG resulted in the rescue of seven minors who were allegedly being recruited online to carry out violent acts. The operation was launched following intelligence received from foreign law enforcement partners about suspicious activity in an online gaming community.
The PNP-ACG reported that the minors were engaging with foreign players through in-game communication systems in virtual reality games. Authorities indicated that recruitment and psychological influence reportedly occurred through chat groups and online discussions on these platforms. Gen. Nartatez highlighted ongoing efforts to protect minors from any encouragement to commit violence or other illegal activities and mentioned that the government is evaluating the sufficiency of existing laws to address this evolving threat.
In related developments, the PNP-ACG reported the arrest of 32 individuals from March 6 to 12, including 22 caught in entrapment operations. The group filed 58 cybercrime cases and served 33 Warrants to Disclose Computer Data to obtain digital evidence during this period. Cyber patrol teams conducted 545 online monitoring activities and completed 18 digital forensic examinations, leading to the rescue of three abuse victims and one trafficking victim.
