President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has rejected claims portraying the Philippines as a training ground for Islamic State-linked groups, with Malacañang saying there is no evidence linking the country to the recent mass shooting in Sydney, Australia.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Wednesday, December 17, that the National Security Council (NSC) has not confirmed reports claiming the father-and-son suspects in the December 14 Bondi Beach attack underwent 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.
She added that the NSC considers such reports misleading, stressing that no validated information links the suspects to any terrorist training 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 noted that ISIS-affiliated groups have been significantly weakened since the 2017 Marawi siege, citing United Nations and U.S. government assessments that these groups now operate in a fragmented and diminished capacity.
“Both United Nations and the U.S. government assessments indicate that these groups now operate in a fragmented and diminished 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.
It also pointed to improvements in domestic security brought by 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 Marcos has directed the Anti-Terrorism Council and other agencies to remain vigilant and strengthen coordination with international partners to safeguard national security.