President Marcos rejects the portrayal of the Philippines as a training ground for terrorists
The Philippines has dismissed allegations by foreign media that the country is a training ground for the Islamic State following reports that gunmen suspected of being linked to the shooting incident at Bondi Beach in Australia entered the country 15 days before the incident.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. “strongly rejecting” what Malacañang called the sweeping and misleading portrayal of the Southeast Asian nation.
There is no confirmed report or confirmation that the people involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any kind of terrorism training in the Philippines, Palace Press official Clarissa A. Castro quoted the National Security Council (NSC) as saying, in a briefing on Wednesday.
No evidence has been presented to support these allegations, the council noted.
“The President strongly rejects the extreme statement and the misleading of the Filipino people as a training ground for ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria),” he said.
The Palace also urged foreign media to be “critical and responsible” in their reporting, warning that unconfirmed appearances could undermine national integrity and international reputation.
The NSC said ISIS-linked groups have weakened significantly since the siege of Marawi in 2017 and now operate as separate factions, with the violence in Mindanao driven more by local conflicts rather than militant groups.
“Recent assessments show significant improvements in the home security environment.” [was] which has been attacked by terrorism in the past,” the NSC added.
“These developments reflect the continued efforts of our security forces and the resilience of our communities in promoting peace, order and development throughout the nation.”
National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año said the government is investigating the travel of the two alleged gunmen, adding that Philippine authorities are cooperating with their Australian counterparts.
“There is no active report or confirmation that the two received any form of military training while in the country and there is no evidence to support such a claim at this time,” he said in a statement. “A mere visit does not support the allegations of terrorist training and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for any meaningful or systematic training.”
The NSC has previously confirmed that so far there is no indication that their visit poses a security risk and described the matter as trivial or urgent.
Mr. Marcos ordered the Anti-Terrorism Council and member organizations to remain vigilant to prevent any terrorist activity in the Philippine territory and to continue to develop cooperation with international partners to protect national security.
MINDANAO EXTREMISTS ARE NOT NEUTRALIZED
Also on Wednesday, the Philippine military said it has already disapproved of top leaders of extremist groups in Mindanao.
Spokesman for the Armed Forces, Col. Francel Margareth Taborlupa, said the military has made a big step in maintaining peace in Mindanao, which has been facing Islamic extremism for a long time, and disbanded the leadership and terrorist organizations in the region.
However, he admitted that some members of what he called “local terrorist groups” are still in Mindanao.
“There is no capacity to train or attack on a large scale,” he said at a press conference. “There have been no recorded terrorist training activities, recruitment efforts or major attacks against domestic groups since 2016.”
Australian police said Tuesday that the two gunmen suspected of carrying out the country’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years had traveled to the Philippines before the incident and may have been inspired by Islamic extremists.
At least 25 people were hospitalized following the incident, which killed Sajid Akram at the scene and injured his son, and the police described it as a terrorist incident during the Hanukkah event.
Philippine officials said no Filipino deaths had been confirmed, and the embassy in Sydney was working with local authorities as Australia revised its gun laws after confirming the elder Akram was a licensed gun owner.
The spokesperson of the Philippine Immigration Bureau confirmed that the two men went to Manila and flew to Davao on November 1 and left on November 28, a few weeks before they committed the Sunday incident that killed 15 people.
The National Bureau of Investigation has also launched its anti-terrorism investigation and is coordinating with the Immigration bureau, military and regional offices to trace the activities of the suspects in Davao and nearby areas.
About 26.2 million people live in Mindanao, recognized as one of the most volatile regions in the Southeast Asian country that has long been plagued by armed groups fighting for secession from the main Philippine island.
The region has a long history of violent attacks, including the siege of Marawi in 2017, when the Islamic State-inspired Maute group seized the southern city and occupied it for five months by attacking the military.
Mrs. Taborlupa said there are only 50 members of extremist groups, up from more than 1,200 in 2016. “The numbers will clearly show that they are still very few, and they are still divided.”
“They no longer have real leadership, and the leadership gap is evident,” he said. “These gains are the result of ongoing security operations, peace-building efforts and strong community engagement.” – Chloe Mari A. Hufana again Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
