The Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO-11) is investigating reports that the suspects in the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia were in the region prior to the attack.

PRO-11 backed the earlier statement of the National Security Council that reports claiming the suspects were in Davao before the incident are not considered a serious threat.

According to the Bureau of Immigration, the two suspects were in the country from November 1 to November 28 before traveling to Australia via a connecting flight from Davao to Manila.

“Davao Region does not have direct threat. PRO-11 along with other agencies are conducting investigation if they indeed they arrived in Davao if they arrived in Davao where dod they stay who are the people they metor if if they only pass by Davao or indeed they did not arrive in Davao and stayed in another place,” PRO-11 Spokesperson, Major Catherine Dela Rey, said.

PRO-11 added that the unverified report should not be seen as a failure in intelligence gathering.

”Hindi naman siya lapse kasi di naman perfect yung list ng mga names kasi pwede naman na may mga bagong recruit. Ang ano natin (ginagawa) makuha natin ang iba pang information,” Dela Rey added.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) said there are no training grounds for terrorists in Eastern Mindanao.

EastMinCom added that the there is no need for concern regarding reports that the suspects trained in Mindanao.

“We can assure you that the EastMinCom is free from terrorist. Kung meron man, pero wala pong report na ganon,” EastMinCom Spokesperson, Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista, said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) has yet to comment on the alleged travel of the suspects within the Philippines, according to the CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio.

Reuters reported that the alleged offenders behind the attack were a father and son duo. The father, a 50-year-old man, was killed at the scene, while his 24-year-old son was in critical condition in the hospital.

The mass shooting killed 16 people and injured dozens more, according to authorities.

(With reports from GMA News Online)