No evidence backing claims Bondi Beach shooters trained for terror activities while in PH —AFP

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said it found no evidence that the two suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia underwent terrorist training while they were in the country.

"Ang data po natin dyan from our field units is that there are no activities such as trainings or any local terrorist activities na nangyari dyan sa lugar na pinuntahan nila," said AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla in an interview on Unang Balita.

(Our data from our field units is that there are no activities such as trainings or any local terrorist activities that occurred in the area they went to.)

"Not because nag-transit po sa ating bansa eh that means meron na tayong ganitong activities," she added.

(Not because we transited through our country does that mean we already have these kinds of activities.)

The AFP made the statement amid claims tagging the Philippines as a “hotspot” for violent extremism or Islamic State ideology despite data showing otherwise.

"We work on the numbers, in the empirical data. So from 2016, we began with around 1,200 ang number nitong local terrorist groups (LTG) na tinutugis po natin. Now, 2025, we're down to 50," explained Padilla.

"The numbers alone can say that there is really no such activities na kaya na nilang i-conduct… They're also not able to conduct large atrocities, major atrocities, kasi napakaliit na nga lang po yung numbers nila," she added.

(There is an insignificant number of LTGs in the Philippines.)

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.

"The President strongly rejects this sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also dismissed such claims.

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

On Tuesday, immigration authorities confirmed that the suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting, 50-year-old Sajid Akram and 24-year-old Naveed Akram, 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.

The AFP, meanwhile, said that the Philippines and Australia are coordinating regarding more information about the suspects.

"We have a very good collaboration with our counterparts. Not just Australia, but lahat. Ang inter-community naman po natin talaga intact po yan. Both local and abroad," Padilla said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News