PNP probes website used by Texas gunman

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde has ordered an investigation into “8chan,” an online messaging board allegedly used by the gunman in the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas and other extremists spewing hate on the web.

Albayalde has directed the police Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to look into the matter.

“I asked the ACG to verify it already and monitor that website,” he told reporters yesterday at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Reports said the gunman, Patrick Crusius, posted on 8chan a manifesto criticizing a “Hispanic invasion of Texas” before he launched his attack which killed 22 people.

The creator of the online messaging board, Fredrick Brennan, was quoted by US media as saying he wanted authorities to shut down the site which he started in 2013. He reportedly now lives in the Philippines.

Albayalde said they can have the website shut down but there should be a formal complaint first against 8chan, similar to offensive posts on Facebook.

“If it’s local, we have to conduct verification and intelligence buildup,” he said.

Meanwhile, Albayalde believes the mass shooting that transpired in the United States will not happen in the Philippines because of stricter gun laws where people seeking to own firearms are required to undergo neuropsychiatric tests and background investigation.