Marcos Rejects Philippines as Terrorism Training Hub

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday rejected assertions that the country serves as a training hotspot for terrorism, emphasizing the Armed Forces of the Philippines' long-standing efforts to dismantle extremist networks and maintain national security. Speaking at the 90th anniversary celebration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Quezon City's Camp Aguinaldo, Marcos addressed recent international reports linking a deadly shooting in Australia to the suspects' stay in the Philippines.

The president's remarks followed confirmation that two Australian men responsible for a mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach had visited the Philippines for nearly a month before the attack. Bureau of Immigration records show the men, identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed, arrived from Sydney on November 1 and listed Davao City as their destination. They departed on November 28 via a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, bound for Sydney. The incident occurred on December 14 during a Hanukkah event at the popular coastal site, leaving at least 15 people dead and prompting heightened security measures across Australia.