AFP validating reports of Bondi Beach shooters' activities in PH

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is validating reports on the possible activities of the two suspects in the tragic Bondi Beach shooting during their time in Davao, an official said Wednesday.

AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla on Wednesday expressed doubt on whether 50-year-old Sajid Akram and 24-year-old Naveed Akram underwent "training" with local terrorist groups (LTGs) in the Southern Philippines last month, citing a significant decline in the strength and capabilities of LTGs since 2016.

Only 50 LTG members are left in the country in 2025, according to Padilla.

She also said the remaining members are now fragmented and have no capability to train or conduct large-scale attacks due to lack of manpower, and firearms as well as a vacuum in leadership following the neutralization of their leaders.

"We do not want to speculate as to their intentions, as to their... activities that they have done within the Philippines," Padilla told reporters in a media briefing.

"Our intelligence operatives are at work as of this time. Maganda po ang coordination natin with different agencies, both local and international," she said. '

AFP Public Affairs chief Colonel Xerxes Trinidad echoed Padilla's remarks and said marksmanship trainings "could not be acquired in just 30 days."

"Based from open source these two suspects, one of them the the old one is actually a gun club member. So if you're a gun club member, I don't think you need training because you know how to use the gun and of course meron pa syang license firearms  legally owned in that particular country," Trinidad said.

"I don't see any purpose of them going back going here in the country to do those training," he said.

Terrorist training?

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier rejected claims branding the Philippines as an “ISIS training hotspot” following reports that suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting incident had previously traveled to the country.

During a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked to react to reports by some media outlets characterizing the Philippines as an “ISIS training hotspot.”

“Of course, the President strongly rejects this sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot,” Castro said.

The National Security Council (NSC), in a statement read by Castro, likewise said the characterization was misleading.

“Currently, there is no validated report or confirmation that the individuals involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any form of training in the Philippines,” Castro said.

Castro added that Philippine authorities continue to verify all information, but no evidence has been presented to show that the country was used for terrorist training.

Security concern

On Tuesday, immigration authorities confirmed the two suspects arrived in the Philippines on November 1 and both reported Davao as their final destination. They left on November 28 on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.

Police authorities abroad reportedly said they are investigating why the pair traveled to the Philippines.

Malacañang said the suspects' visit is not considered as a "serious security concern." 

"We could speculate on what really transpired, but what I can say is from the side of the AFP, wala tayong incidents na naitala na may training incidents. Wala tayong naitala na merong foreign terrorist activities," Padilla added.

(We could speculate on what really transpired, but what I can say is from the side of the AFP, there are no local and foreign training incidents monitored in Davao.)

On December 14, gunmen opened fire at a Jewish holiday celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people. The death toll climbed to 16 after one of the gunmen was killed. —VAL, GMA Integrated News