MALACANANG on Wednesday debunked foreign media reports describing the Philippines as an ISIS training ground or terror hotspot, saying the claims were misleading and unsupported by evidence.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) cited military records indicating that the country’s national security situation makes it unlikely that the two Indian nationals linked to the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney, Australia received extremist training in the Philippines.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro issued the statement on the heels of reports saying the suspects in to the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Australia purportedly trained in the Philippines.
Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot.”
“There is no validated report or confirmation that the individuals involved in the Bondi Beach incident received any form of training in the Philippines,” Castro said, reading a statement from the National Security Council.
She added that while Philippine authorities were coordinating with international partners to verify available information, no evidence has been presented to support claims that the country was used for terrorist training.
The NSC said ISIS-affiliated groups in the Philippines have been significantly weakened since the 2017 Marawi siege, citing United Nations and United States government assessments that show the groups now operate in a “fragmented and diminished capacity.”
It said violence in Mindanao is largely driven by historical conflicts and local clan disputes rather than the operational capability of ISIS-linked organizations.
Castro said recent security assessments point to significant improvements in the domestic security environment and that the President has ordered the Anti-Terrorism Council and its member agencies to remain vigilant and strengthen coordination with international partners to prevent any terrorist activity.
Asked for the government’s appeal to foreign media, Castro urged journalists to be discerning and responsible in their reporting, saying inaccurate portrayals harm the integrity and international image of the Philippines.
AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. asserted that initial information indicated the two suspects identified as Sajid Akram, 50, an Indian national, and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, an Indian-Australian citizen, arrived in Manila together on Nov. 1 then proceeded to Davao City.
Authorities are now validating their movements, including the places they visited and the people they talked to. “That is all the information we have for now, and we are studying it further. We are investigating the places they visited and the people they may have met,” Brawner said.
Brawner also addressed suggestions that extremist groups in the Philippines could have provided training to the suspects.
He said the allegation did not reflect the country’s current domestic security situation, particularly in Mindanao where terrorist groups have been significantly weakened.
Records from the AFP showed that from a high of 1,257 local terrorists in 2016, the manpower of local terrorist groups dropped to around 50 in 2025.
While not completely eliminated, Brawner noted that the sharp decline followed years of sustained military operations, peace initiatives, and community-based programs meant to prevent radicalization.
Between 2016 and 2025, government forces also neutralized 28 high-value individuals through armed encounters, arrests, and surrenders, the data noted.
The AFP said the neutralization of the terrorist leaders created a leadership vacuum while the remaining groups were fragmented, largely defensive, and no longer capable of planning or sustaining large-scale attacks.
The Philippine military also noted there have been no recorded terrorist training activities, recruitment efforts, or major attacks by domestic terror groups since 2016.
