DepEd taps PNP, DICT vs online terrorist groomers

Education Sec. Sonny Angara —Photo from the Department of Education

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday said it is working with other government agencies to protect students from possible schemes of online terrorist groomers following consecutive reports of violence in public schools, including the Tacloban City school shooting.

In particular, the DepEd sought the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to handle modern cyber threats.

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In an interview, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said these agencies can monitor the large-scale online risks against learners.

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Multi-agency effort

“We don’t have the capacity to really monitor the concerted action of terrorist groups, of online groomers, things like that. So, we are asking for help from the PNP and DICT,” he said at the sidelines of EdConnect Higher Education EdTech Summit 2026 in Quezon City.

READ: Suspected ‘groomer’ of Tacloban school shooters tagged in Senate hearing

“They’re on top of it. In fact, we got a briefing from them last week. We were warned that there are really active groups,” he added.

The DepEd chief urged parents to closely watch their children’s online engagements, especially during off-school hours.

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“We are calling on parents to look after their children during their online screen time,” Angara said, citing that children only spend eight hours in school campuses.

READ: 24 minors rescued from extremist group True Crime Community

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An initial assessment revealed that some active terrorist groomers are utilizing online gaming platforms to recruit youth.

“That’s where they encounter those elements, that unknowingly they are being recruited. They thought they were talking with fellow kids in Roblox. But they are already terrorist groomers,” Angara said.

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The DepEd has also imposed streamlined guidelines to address critical offenses as part of its safety measures under its guidelines on ensuring a safe learning environment for students. —PHILIPPINE NEWS AGENCY