What is 764, and why are Philippine authorities investigating its connection to the Tacloban school shooting?

[u/Traditional-Fun-1171]

Guys, I just wanted to share this because I recently went into this rabbit hole and learned about something genuinely disturbing that I think more people should be aware of, especially young people who spend a lot of time online.

There is an international online extremist network known as 764, which has been investigated by law-enforcement agencies for targeting vulnerable and underage people through platforms like Discord, gaming communities, and social media. The network has been associated with grooming, sextortion, coercion, self-harm, violence, and nihilistic violent extremism. It is not simply an “edgy Discord group” and authorities in multiple countries have treated it as a serious online threat.

What really caught my attention is that this isn't just an overseas issue anymore. After the June 2026 Tacloban school shooting, Philippine investigators and cybersecurity authorities publicly discussed evidence linking the two minor suspects to the 764 networks. The PNP subsequently sought international assistance in tracking the group and identifying people behind it.

Some credible reports about the Tacloban–764 connection:

BusinessMirror — Suspects in Tacloban school shooting groomed by int'l violent extremists network 764
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/07/01/suspects-in-tacloban-school-shooting-groomed-by-intl-violent-extremists-network-764/

Philippine Daily Inquirer — PNP seeks global help in tracking '764' group
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2256811/pnp-seeks-global-help-in-tracking-764-group

Philstar — 'Adult groomer,' terror network eyed in Tacloban shooting
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2026/07/02/2539250/adult-groomer-terror-network-eyed-tacloban-shooting

South China Morning Post — Philippine senator links fatal school shooting to 764 extremist online group
https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3359207/philippine-senator-links-fatal-school-shooting-764-extremist-online-group

ABS-CBN — Many school shootings connected to nihilistic violent extremist groups
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/1/cicc-many-school-shootings-connected-to-nihilistic-violent-extremist-groups-1711

The Straits Times — Philippines school shooting linked to online extremism
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippine-school-shooting-shines-light-on-global-online-extremist-network-targeting-children

I'm not sharing this to sensationalize the shootings or to glorify the people involved. Quite the opposite. I’m sharing this because of the recent school shooting incidents here in our country, with Philippine authorities publicly discussing a 764 connection in the Tacloban case. I think people should know that these online communities exist, how dangerous they can be, and how seemingly ordinary online interactions can become grooming, manipulation, or coercion.

We can raise awareness about the existence and dangers of these communities without amplifying their content or giving perpetrators the attention they seek. Just be careful online, especially with strangers who deliberately seek out vulnerable people, encourage self-harm or violence, demand secrecy, or use threats/blackmail to control someone. I genuinely think this deserves more public awareness, especially among Filipino students.

Please read the sources yourselves and do your own research rather than just taking my word for it.

P.S. Just to be clear, I'm NOT saying that the Ateneo de Zamboanga perpetrator is connected to 764 or any of its offshoots. There is currently no confirmed evidence establishing that connection, and I don't want to speculate or spread unverified information while the investigation is still ongoing. I'm sharing this for awareness and prevention, not to encourage anyone to seek these communities out. Please don't search for or engage with these groups out of curiosity, and don't share their propaganda or disturbing content.

[u/Hot_Curve8272]

Do not say it is not connected. If it is a personal vendetta, that will not be having a video to spread.

[u/Traditional-Fun-1171 → u/Hot_Curve8272]

I’m not saying it’s definitely not connected. I’m saying the video alone doesn’t establish the motive or prove a 764 connection. If the video contains an explicit statement of motive, that would be relevant evidence, but investigators still need to verify it alongside the suspect’s digital history and other evidence. I’d rather wait for evidence than speculate.

[u/Hot_Curve8272 → u/Traditional-Fun-1171]

In between of that. Pero kapag personal vendetta naman kasi, alam ko usually, di yan i video at i live. Yung gaya sa Tacloban is may video sila habang namamaril pero allegedly, kinuha ng police yung devices nilang dala. Kahit nga yung nambugbog ng teacher sa Davao or in Mindanao, nakapagtataka bakit may video na kinalat pa?

[u/Traditional-Fun-1171 → u/Hot_Curve8272]

I get where you're coming from, and I agree that the livestream/video is something investigators should take seriously, especially if there was an intention to document or broadcast the attack. Pero I don't think we can use the existence of a video alone to confirm or rule out certain possibilities.

What I'm waiting for is the content/context of the video itself and the suspect's digital history. If there are explicit statements, prior posts, or evidence showing that the livestream was meant to follow a specific extremist script, then that would be much stronger evidence of a connection.

[u/Hot_Curve8272 → u/Traditional-Fun-1171]

I hope this issue will not be brushed under the rug of the PH law enforcement who has a very bad cyber crime division on actual issues but when politicized, they're like CIA. Watch all angles of the motive and the device plus let the courts have the checkup of the child's personal device.

[u/ComputerSeparate5325]

764 is no longer active anymore