Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said video games, including the online game “GoreBox,” should not be immediately blamed for the recent school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City without a thorough study.
Marcoleta said authorities and policymakers should carefully examine the circumstances surrounding the incident before concluding that video games were responsible.
According to the senator, decisions on whether video games contributed to such incidents should be based on comprehensive research rather than immediate assumptions.
Marcoleta cited his own experience, saying that although video games were not common during his younger years, he frequently watched action movies, including films starring the late Fernando Poe Jr.
He said that despite enjoying action films, he did not become violent or engage in shootings. Instead, he said he appreciated the way Fernando Poe Jr.’s characters defended their communities.
His remarks came after the Police Regional Office 8 reported that one of the suspects in the San Jose National High School shooting was allegedly heavily engaged in playing the online game “GoreBox.”
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, invited the developer of “GoreBox” to attend its inquiry into the incident.
However, the game developer declined the invitation.
The Senate committee continues to examine issues surrounding the school shooting as part of its ongoing inquiry into the incident.
