President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has dismissed allegations branding the Philippines as a training ground for Islamic State-linked groups, as Malacañang stressed there is no evidence connecting the country to the recent mass shooting in Sydney, Australia.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said Wednesday, Dec. 17, that the National Security Council (NSC) has not validated reports claiming that the father and son suspects in the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach shooting received training in the Philippines.
“The president strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as the ISIS training hotspot,” Castro said during a press briefing.
Castro added that the NSC considers such reports misleading, emphasizing that there is no verified information tying the suspects to any terrorist training activities in the country.
“Philippine authorities, in coordination with international partners, continue to verify all available information but no evidence has been presented to support claims that the country was used for terrorist training,” the NSC said in a statement read by Castro.
The council also noted that security forces have significantly weakened ISIS-affiliated groups since the 2017 Marawi siege. According to the NSC, assessments by the United Nations and the United States government show these groups are now fragmented and operating with limited capacity.
“Violence in Mindanao is largely driven by historical conflicts and local clan disputes rather than the operational capacity of ISIS-affiliated organizations,” the NSC said, citing improvements in domestic security following years of sustained counterterrorism efforts.
“These developments reflect the sustained efforts of our security forces and the resilience of our communities in advancing peace, order and development across the nation,” it added.
The NSC said President Marcos has instructed the Anti-Terrorism Council and concerned agencies to stay alert against potential threats and to further strengthen coordination with international partners to protect national security.
Castro also urged the public and the media to exercise caution in reporting.
“Maging mapanuri at maging responsable rin po sa pagpapahayag at lalo po ito ay nakakaapekto sa integridad at imahe ng Pilipinas,” she said.
