SENATE President Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for a law specifically targeting nihilistic violent extremism (NVE) amid growing concerns over the rise in school-related violence during the observance of National Schools Safety Month.

Gatchalian said there is an urgent need for legislation to address the online grooming and radicalization of children, warning that perpetrators of NVE are increasingly using social media platforms and online gaming applications to target young people.

According to the Senate leader, recruiters first gain the trust of minors before manipulating them into carrying out violent acts.

“There is a sense of urgency in crafting a specific law to address NVE, the online grooming of children, and the brainwashing that leads them to commit acts of violence. We want to work with the DOJ, through the Senate Committee on Women, to come up with that specific law because the problem can worsen,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian cited recent incidents that underscore the growing threat.

Earlier this year, authorities foiled a planned school attack in Laguna involving seven minors allegedly linked through the online gaming platform Roblox.

Investigators also found that one of the suspects in the Tacloban school shooting had reportedly been heavily influenced by the violent sandbox game GoreBox.

During a recent hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, Nicholas Ty said the country’s existing legal framework does not adequately address the online recruitment and radicalization of children into violent extremist activities.

Gatchalian said stronger laws against online grooming and violent extremism are needed to better protect students and prevent future attacks in schools.