Senator Robin Padilla renewed his call for the swift passage of measures imposing tighter restrictions on minors’ social media use following the fatal shooting at the Ateneo de Zamboanga-Tumaga’s Junior High School campus on Tuesday that left two people dead, including the shooter.

The shooting came less than two months after a June 22 high school shooting in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others injured. The alleged perpetrators, aged 14 and 15, were also minors.

In a video statement, Padilla said the incidents highlighted the need to review existing laws and policies concerning young people and their use of social media.

“Ito po ay impluwensya ng social media sa ating mga kabataan dahil palagian po silang gumagamit ng account… Napakalaki po talaga ng epekto talaga sa mga bata ang social media,” Padilla said.

Padilla said violent material on online platforms could affect the behavior and judgment of minors, citing patterns of violence he said he had observed during his time in detention.

“’Yan po ay panggising upang manamnam niyo po ang katotohanan... Ito pong nakikita niyo na ’to, nakita ko na po ito sa Bilibid,” he said.

Padilla also pointed to other countries that have moved to restrict young people’s access to social media over concerns about its effects.

He said social media could expose young people to harmful content and provide a platform through which violent ideas could be reinforced or acted upon.

“Panahon na para aksyunan na natin ang mga batas na may kinalaman sa kabataan at sa social media na ginagamit po ng ating mga kabataan at nakakaimpluwensya sa kanila na makagawa ng mga bagay na karumaldumal,” Padilla said.

He also urged Congress to act on his proposed Children’s Safety in Social Media Act, which seeks stronger protections for social media accounts used by people below 18.