The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) emphasized there is “no evidence of terrorist training, recruitment, or large-scale attacks” by domestic local terrorist groups (LTGs) since 2016.

The statement comes after an Australian news outlet reported that father-and-son Sajid and Naveed Akram had allegedly travelled to the Philippines for “military-style training” in the month before they killed 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a press briefing on Wednesday that intelligence assessments do not support the claims, stressing that local terrorist groups in the Philippines have significantly weakened over the past decade.

“This underscores the erosion of their operational capacity and the effectiveness of sustained security monitoring,” Padilla said, adding that sustained security operations and community-based programs have eroded the operational capacity of extremist groups.

She attributed the decline to the government’s Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) initiatives, which promote peaceful surrender, reintegration, livelihood support, and cooperation with local leaders.

“These efforts have reduced vulnerability to extremist recruitment and strengthened grassroots resilience,” Padilla said.

Her remarks follows reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that Naveed Akram, 24, had longstanding links to Australia’s pro–Islamic State (IS) network, including connections to controversial jihadist preacher Wisam Haddad and convicted IS youth recruiter Youssef Uweinat. Through a lawyer, Haddad has “vehemently denied” any involvement in or knowledge of the Bondi Beach shootings.

Australian investigators are examining possible international jihadist links after confirming that the Akrams travelled to Manila in early November. A senior counterterrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the pair later went to the southern Philippines for militant training.

Foreigners’ travel

The Philippine Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Sajid and Naveed Akram arrived in the country from Australia on November 1, declaring Davao City as their destination. They left the Philippines on November 28 via a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.

Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said Sajid Akram entered using an Indian passport, while his son used an Australian passport.

Phl police efforts

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said authorities are verifying the locations the suspects visited, the people they interacted with, and their accommodations during their stay in the country, noting that these details are crucial in establishing a clear picture of their activities.

Police have also been directed to determine the purpose of the suspects’ travel and to account for their movements while in the Philippines.

“This matter is being investigated as we seek to determine the reason behind their visit to the Philippines. Inaalam natin kung saang mga lugar sila nagpunta, sino ang kanilang mga nakausap, at saan sila namalagi habang nandito sa bansa (We are tracking the places they visited, whom they have talked to, and where did they stayed here in the country),” Nartatez said.

According to the PNP chief, information gathered is essential in identifying possible motives and determining whether any individuals may be held accountable in connection with the attack in Australia.

Nartatez added that the PNP is closely coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other security agencies under a whole-of-government approach to intelligence sharing and threat assessment. 

Coordination with foreign counterparts is also ongoing to validate intelligence and ensure that no potential security gaps remain.

Earlier, International media outlets tagged Davao City—located on the island of Mindanao—to have historically been a hotspot for Islamic militancy since the 1990s. 

However, Philippine security officials said they have not confirmed the pair’s exact movements or activities while in the southern Philippines.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. earlier cautioned against speculation, saying the military “can’t see” how the suspects could have trained in the Philippines given the sharp decline in extremist presence.

“From thousands of fighters in the past, we are now down to only a few,” Brawner said, noting that multiple agencies are coordinating with international partners as investigations continue.

Padilla said local terrorist groups are also suffering from a “leadership vacuum,” with key leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group, Maute Group, and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters neutralized, arrested, or having surrendered since 2017. She added that militant manpower has dropped from more than 1,200 members in 2016 to about 50 in 2025.

“Remaining elements are fragmented, largely defensive, and lack the capability to conduct organized training or large-scale attacks,” she said.

The AFP emphasized that it had no prior intelligence indicating the Akrams were planning attacks while in the Philippines and has received no confirmed information linking the country to any terrorist training related to the Bondi Beach incident.

“The focus should remain on accountability and justice for the victims,” Padilla said, “and not on speculation that distracts from the facts.”

Mindanao not violence hotspot

In a separate statement, the National Security Council (NSC) said the government is currently investigating the travel history of the two Bondi shooting gunmen. 

“We are also coordinating with our counterparts in the Australian government for information and intelligence sharing in order to determine the purpose of their visit to the  Philippines,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said. 

He added 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.

Año also dismissed  international media reports portraying Mindanao as a hotspot for violent extremism, calling such claims “outdated and misleading,” as authorities confirmed an ongoing investigation into the recent travel of two individuals linked to the Bondi shooting incident in Sydney, Australia.