Año hits PH label as 'extremist hotspot': outdated, misleading

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Wednesday dismissed claims tagging the Philippines as a “hotspot” for violent extremism or Islamic State ideology, calling such labels outdated and misleading.

In a statement, Año clarified that investigations into the purpose of the travel of two individuals linked to the Bondi shooting in Australia are still ongoing.

However, he stressed that said the Philippines' intelligence sector received no reports indicating that the two Bondi gunmen received military training in the Philippines.

“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," Año said.

"A mere visit (to the country) does not support allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for any meaningful or structured training,” he added

He added that the Philippines' security forces have significantly degraded ISIS-linked groups in the country, noting that these organizations have suffered "weakened structures" and a "sharp decline" in operations since the 2017 Marawi siege.

“As a result, there have been no recorded terrorist training activities or significant operations by these ISIS-affiliated groups since 2017,” Año said.

Even earlier analyses by UN and US security sectors have not considered such a scenario, Año said.

“Both official UN and US government assessments indicate that only remnants of these groups remain due to sustained security operations, peace-building efforts, and strong community involvement,” he added.

Earlier, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also rejected similar claims from several media outlets that tagged the Philippines as an “ISIS training hotspot” following reports that the Bondi shooting suspects had visited the country.

According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro, no evidence has been presented to show that the Philippines was used for terrorist training.

Meanwhile, Año said the government has provided meaningful political autonomy and development funding to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to help improve its domestic security environment.

“The Philippine government maintains a vigilant, intelligence-driven counterterrorism program and works closely with international partners to ensure that Philippine territory is not used for terrorism purposes," he said.

"The NSC emphasizes the importance of evidence-based reporting and responsible public discourse,” Año added.

The Philippine government continues to coordinate with Australian authorities regarding the travel of Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, who were in Manila and Davao City from November 1 to 28, he said.—MCG, GMA Integrated News