President Marcos rejects Philippines portrayal as terrorist training hotspot

THE Philippines rejected claims by some foreign media outlets that portrayed the country as an Islamic State training hub following reports the alleged gunmen linked to the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Australia entered the country 15 days before the incident.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. “strongly rejects” what Malacañang called a sweeping and misleading characterization of the Southeast Asian nation.

There is no validated report or confirmation that the individuals involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any form of terrorist training in the Philippines, Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro quoted the National Security Council (NSC) as saying, in a briefing on Wednesday.

No evidence have also been presented to support such claims, the council noted.

“The President strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) training hotspot,” she said.

The Palace also urged foreign media to be “critical and responsible” in their reporting, warning that unverified characterizations could undermine the country’s integrity and international image.

The NSC said ISIS-affiliated groups have been significantly weakened since the 2017 Marawi siege and now operate in a fragmented capacity, with violence in Mindanao largely driven by local conflicts rather than extremist groups.

“Recent assessments indicate significant improvements in the domestic security environment that [was] previously affected by terrorism,” the NSC added.

“These developments reflect the sustained efforts of our security forces and the resilience of our communities in advancing peace, order and development across the nation.”

National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año said the government is investigating the travel of the two alleged gunmen, adding that Philippine authorities are coordinating with their Australian counterparts.

“There is no valid report or confirmation that the two received any form of military training while in the country and no evidence supports such a claim at present,” he said in a statement. “A mere visit does not support allegations of terrorist training and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for any meaningful or structured training.”

The NSC earlier assured there is so far no indication their visit posed a security threat and described the matter as not a serious or immediate concern.

Mr. Marcos ordered the Anti-Terrorism Council and member agencies to remain vigilant in preventing any terrorist activity within Philippine territory and to continuously enhance coordination with international partners to safeguard national security.

MINDANAO EXTREMIST NEUTRALIZED
Also on Wednesday, the Philippine military said it had already neutralized top leaders of extremist groups in Mindanao.

Armed Forces spokeswoman Col. Francel Margareth Taborlupa said the military had made strides in keeping the peace in Mindanao, which had long grappled with Muslim extremism, dismantling the leadership and structures of terrorist cells in the region.

She acknowledged, however, that some members of what she called “local terrorist groups” remain in Mindanao.

“There is no training capability or large-scale attacks,” she said in a media briefing. “There have been no recorded terrorist training activities, recruitment efforts or large-scale attacks by domestic groups since 2016.”

Australian police said on Tuesday the two alleged gunmen behind the country’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years had traveled to the Philippines before the assault and may have been inspired by Muslim extremists.

At least 25 people remain hospitalized following the attack, which killed Sajid Akram at the scene and injured his son, and was described by police as a terrorist incident during a Hanukkah event.

Philippine officials said no Filipino casualties have been confirmed, with the consulate in Sydney coordinating with local authorities as Australia reviews its gun laws after confirming the older Akram was a licensed firearm owner.

A Philippine Immigration bureau spokesman confirmed the two men traveled to Manila and flew to Davao on Nov. 1 and left on Nov. 28, just weeks before carrying out Sunday’s shootings that killed 15 people.

The National Bureau of Investigation has also launched its own counterterrorism probe and is coordinating with the Immigration bureau, the military and regional offices to trace the suspects’ activities in Davao and nearby areas.

About 26.2 million people live in Mindanao, recognized as one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most volatile regions long plagued by militant groups advocating for the major Philippine island’s separation.

The region has a long history of extremist attacks, including the 2017 siege of Marawi, when the Islamic State-inspired Maute group seized the southern city and held it for five months through military counterattacks. 

Ms. Taborlupa said that only 50 members of extremist groups remain, from more than 1,200 in 2016. “The numbers will clearly show that there are now very few of them, and they are fragmented.”

“They no longer have any real leadership, and the vacuum of leadership is evident,” she said. “These gains are the result of sustained security operations, peace building efforts and strong community engagement.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana and Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio