Hontiveros: ‘Multi-faceted’ approach to prevent future school shootings

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday, August 21, said that preventing another occurrence of school shootings similar to those in the last few months would require a multi-faceted approach.

The senator told Iloilo media on Friday that the recent incident in Zamboanga was still under investigation.

The Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, which Hontiveros chairs, kicked off its inquiry on Thursday, August 20.

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It was in this inquiry that there was a commitment to turn over the gadgets owned by the shooter in the incident at Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School on Aug. 18.

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Role of NVE

This is meant to trace their digital footprint to uncover whether there was a pattern of nihilistic violent extremism (NVE).

“The parents agreed to turn over the gadgets to the investigators for digital forensic investigation to know what the factors were, including [NVE],” Hontiveros said in a press conference.

She cited an emerging pattern of NVE that manifested during a similar inquiry into the Tacloban shooting last June.

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“In the two months since [the hearings on the Tacloban shooting], the different stakeholders are trying to catch up their capacities to resolve that issue, and maybe in the back of their minds, prevent a repeat,” she said.

“The findings so far in Tacloban [were] that there are indications of the role of NVE in the shooting,” she added.

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She emphasized that NVE was being amplified across social media and other platforms to reach out to younger people and engage them in extreme philosophies or ideologies.

“NVE is a transnational phenomenon that, through their networks, convinces children that life doesn’t matter, that nothing matters, that violence is acceptable, whether it’s towards the self and others, even other children. Sometimes, NVE carries extreme ideologies against certain groups of people,” the senator explained.

READ: Erwin Tulfo laments fatal school shootings: ‘Talk with your kids’

“Unfortunately, NVE abuses internet channels, certain social media spaces [and] platforms, to reach even our Filipino children and students. [There has to be a] safe space for all netizens especially our children but malign actors enter these spaces to identify, recruit, and lure children out of these safe spaces,” she added.

Hontiveros reiterated senators’ position during the August 20 hearing that not everything should be left to the parents.

“Resolving this problem, preventing further serious violence, a lot of stakeholders have to chime in,” the senator said.

“We reminded parents to regularly talk to their children. Check on them [and] accompany them through problems. Aside from the [Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center], our homes and families are the first line of defense to make our kids feel secure.”

“Schools also have great responsibility over safety and security protocols on campus, but at the same time, all stakeholders have to chime in,” she added.

The senator further highlighted the responsibility of social media platforms, particularly Meta, to ensure that recorded and broadcast material will not spread further.

She cited the Facebook livestream which showed the Zamboanga shooting, that took 14 minutes before it was taken down, and had been spreading through file-sharing methods.

“Meta and other such companies have to upgrade their community standards. They have to speed up their response time,” she said.

Hontiveros also expressed support for stricter firearms regulation, especially for government-issued guns.

Both the Tacloban and Zamboanga incidents involved firearms that were issued to members of law enforcement agencies.

“They are the ones with the most knowledge and responsibility to secure their firearms, to keep them out of reach of [the children],” she said.

“If we can lessen the number of firearms that are spread out, of whatever status, [whether] it’s in the hands of government personnel [or] civilians, licensed or unlicensed, if we lessen the proliferation of firearms, I believe we can also reduce gun-related incidents and gun-related violence,” she added.

She also reacted to schools who have been shown over social media implementing the use of transparent bags for learners.

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“If there is already a see-through bag, well and good, [but] if there is no see-through bag, let’s not add to the expenses of the parents, especially in the public schools,” she said. /cb