THE Philippines and Australia have vowed mutual commitment to combat terrorism and ward off violent attacks against their respective citizenries.
The pledge was made during a press briefing in Canberra, Australia on Dec. 30 regarding bilateral collaboration in the investigation of the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach shooting incident that left multiple victims dead..
In a statement released on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the cooperation provided by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Philippine law enforcement agencies in resolving the issue.
“I also want to take the opportunity to thank… President Marcos, my friend, the President of the Philippines as well. Through him, the agencies in the Philippines have done everything they can to provide information in a timely way, and that’s a good thing,” Albanese said.
This statement comes in response to reports suggesting that the suspects in the deadly Bondi Beach attack received military training in the Philippines.
For her part, DFA Secretary Theresa Lazaro reaffirmed the Philippines’ strong commitment to counter terrorism, preventing violent extremism, and enhancing intelligence and law enforcement cooperation with Australia and other foreign partners.
The DFA also noted the Australian Federal Police Commissioner initial assessment of the Philippine National Police, noting that “there is no evidence to suggest they (suspects) received training or underwent logistical preparation for their alleged attack”.
The Commissioner further indicated that “there is no evidence to suggest these alleged offenders were part of a broader terrorist cell or were directed by others to carry out an attack,” while emphasizing that this assessment is still under investigation.
Both countries pledged to continue working together to address transnational security threats, including terrorism, through sustained information sharing, operational coordination, and capacity-building initiatives.
Last Dec. 17, the DFA committed to enhancing cooperation in law enforcement, in light of the alleged gunmen staying in the country for approximately a month.
Malacañang also stated that the Philippines “strongly rejects” any claims suggesting that the two gunmen involved in the Bondi Beach shooting traveled to the Philippines to receive training from groups associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), dismissing such insinuations as “sweeping and misleading.”
