The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has identified a group of ‘groomers’ who allegedly recruit minors to carry out acts of violence, Director Melvin Matibag said Tuesday.
The development comes as the NBI investigates the recent school shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) Junior High School, where the shooter-a 14-year-old Grade 8 male student-also documented the incident through Facebook Live.
In a press conference, Matibag said that based on their initial investigation, the supposed groomers, who he said have a group chat, target minors aged 12 to 19.
‘There is a group, the groomers, who were friends with – they will profile you. Initially, they’ll be very friendly, look at your profile, your family, your capability. Then there it is, they teach you [to commit violence],’ Matibag said.
‘We entered this group chat. But that group collapsed for some reason,’ he said.
Matibag also mentioned that he – along with officials from the Office of the President, Office of the Speaker, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center – will meet with Meta in Singapore on Thursday to seek help in probing the incident.
In an ambush interview, Matibag said the ‘groomers’ in the group chat number approximately 1,000 individuals.
‘There are members from other countries but mostly Filipinos,’ he added.
‘Initiation’
According to Matibag, the group allegedly has what he described as an ‘initiation’ that directs members to carry out violent acts, such as bomb-making, and engage in other illegal activities.
‘It’s like initiation. You will be promoted. You’re taught – there’s this like Bible that if you do it, you’ll be promoted,’ he said.
‘You have a group that you’re taking care of. The thinking is … after you do that task and then kill yourself, you’ll be elevated to sainthood. Something like that,’ he added.
Matibag said the NBI is verifying whether the supposed group of groomers is connected to the AdZU school shooting and other school-related incidents in the country.
He also said the NBI will profile the individuals who shared the AdZU student’s video of the incident.
‘That’s why it was broadcast live; people were watching. He wanted an audience. Who was there? It could be the groomer or the head…That’s why we will profile everyone,’ he explained.
Based on the authorities’ initial investigation, the AdZU student entered the school on Aug. 18 armed with a 9mm Glock pistol.
He shot a 15-year-old Grade 10 male student inside Room 404 of the university’s high school building, killing him instantly.
Afterward, the shooter ran to another floor while yelling and then turned the gun on himself.
Before the incident, several cases of school-related violence – such as stabbing and shooting – had been reported in the country over the past three months, starting June 16. /mcm