Visit of Bondi Beach shooters to PH not a serious concern—Palace
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Malacañang said the visit of the suspects of the Bondi Beach shooting to the Philippines last month does not pose any security threat and is not considered a serious concern.
According to the National Security Council (NSC), there was no confirmed information indicating that their visit posed a threat.
However, immigration and counterrorism protocols remain fully active.
"The National Security Council is aware of the reports that the individuals involved in the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia had previously travelled to the Philippines, and these are currently under validation," the NSC said in a statement read by Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro in a press briefing on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
"At this time, there is no confirmed information indicating that their visit posed a security threat and this is not considered a serious or immediate concern. Standard security, immigration and counterterrorism protocols remain fully active with coordination ongoing with Australian authorities," the NSC stated.
Castro said the NSC is also validating information on eha the shooters did in the country during their visit.
Australia's federal police reported that the mass shooting has killed 15 people.
Police disclosed that the suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24. The older man was shot dead while his son was being treated at a hospital.
On Tuesday, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed that the two suspects stayed in the Philippines for almost a month in November.