The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) opened a three-day Seminar-Workshop on Handling Cases of Nihilistic Violent Extremism Involving Minors on September 30, 2026, at the Food Terminal Market, Corner San Juan Street, North Capitol Road, Bacolod City, bringing together 55 law enforcement personnel and partner agency representatives from across the region.
Opening Ceremony Led by Senior Police Officers
According to PRO NIR, the opening ceremony was led by PCOL Gilbert T. Gorero, CRS, alongside PCOL Sandy S. Vales, Chief of the Regional Intelligence and Detective Management Division (RIDMD); PCPT Wilma E. Silva, Chief of the Regional Women and Children Protection Section (RWCPS); and PCPT Armrhod R. Presto, a representative from the Anti-Cybercrime Group.
The seminar-workshop runs for three days and is designed to enhance the capabilities of law enforcement personnel and partner agencies in identifying, preventing, and appropriately responding to cases involving minors exposed to violent extremist ideologies, PRO NIR said in its official release.
Multi-Agency Participation Across NIR
The 55 participants drawn from a broad range of agencies include representatives from the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), the Philippine Army, the Regional Prosecutor’s Office, PRO NIR, the Bacolod City Police Office, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.
The cross-agency composition reflects the seminar’s emphasis on coordinated inter-agency response, with social workers, prosecutors, intelligence personnel, and police investigators trained alongside one another.
Understanding Online Radicalization of Youth
A central focus of the seminar-workshop, according to PRO NIR, is deepening participants’ understanding of Nihilistic Violent Extremism and the emerging online environments where minors may be exposed to content that promotes hatred, violence, or encourages acts that may cause serious harm.
The training covers how to recognize potential indicators of online radicalization, coercion, and exploitation, and stresses the importance of properly validating and assessing information before acting on it.
Proper Case Handling and Protection of Minors
The seminar-workshop also addresses appropriate procedures for case handling, investigation, documentation, referral, and inter-agency coordination, according to PRO NIR. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of Women and Children Protection personnel and social workers, given that minors involved in such cases may be vulnerable to manipulation, exploitation, or coercion and must be treated with appropriate legal and procedural safeguards.
PRO NIR noted that timely information-sharing among law enforcement, social workers, schools, parents, and other community stakeholders is essential in facilitating early intervention and effective case development while protecting the rights, safety, and welfare of minors.
Aligned with PNP’s Bagong Pilipinas Agenda
The activity is anchored on the PNP’s national reform framework, “Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat, at Nararamdaman,” according to PRO NIR. Through sustained training and inter-agency cooperation, PRO NIR said it remains committed to a proactive and people-centered approach to crime prevention and effective crime solution throughout the Negros Island Region.
By the Numbers
- 3 — days the seminar-workshop runs, beginning September 30, 2026
- 55 — total participants from law enforcement and partner agencies
- 9 — agencies represented, including DSWD, NICA, Philippine Army, Regional Prosecutor’s Office, PRO NIR, Bacolod City Police Office, Negros Occidental PPO, Negros Oriental PPO, and the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit
Why This Matters
Nihilistic Violent Extremism involving minors represents a growing security and child welfare concern, particularly as online platforms provide new avenues for radicalization and exploitation of young people. The seminar-workshop directly equips law enforcement, social workers, and prosecutors across Negros Island with standardized protocols for identifying, handling, and referring such cases. PRO NIR’s emphasis on inter-agency coordination and child-sensitive case handling underscores the importance of a unified regional response to protect vulnerable youth from extremist influence.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of PRO NIR / PNP Public Information Office
