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Police, military deny Bondi Beach duo trained in Mindanao before attack
Philippines
Visayas
Police, military deny Bondi Beach duo trained in Mindanao before attack
Police, military deny Bondi Beach duo trained in Mindanao before attack
By Ivy Tejano
Published Dec 17, 2025 11:02 pm
PEOPLE walk along Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia a day after a mass shooting Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. (AP)
DAVAO CITY – The police and military vehemently denied on Wednesday reports that the two Bondi Beach terrorists trained in Davao or Mindanao during their visit to the Philippines last month.
Speaking at the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel Davao here, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista said that military intelligence has no record of such activities.
“There is no report about the matter. While it remains part of our monitoring, we only see such things on television. We can assure you that the Eastern Mindanao Command area is free from these terrorists,” Evangelista said.
Evangelista addressed Davao reporters after Australian counterterrorism authorities linked Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, to deadly mass shootings in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia recently where 16 people were killed.
According to the Bureau of Immigration, the father-and-son duo reportedly stayed in the Philippines from Nov. 1 to 28 for training under the Islamic State. Reports said they declared Davao as their destination.
Evangelista said that Eastmincom has so far noted no IS training centers within their areas of responsibility. She stated that the military has no information about the two Akrams and that they have no directive to investigate the matter.
“This is not a military concern. We also cannot say that terrorists slipped through, because nothing happened here,” Evangelista said, adding that the people should not be alarmed, as the incident happened in Sydney.
Based on records from the BI, the Akrams arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Sydney on Nov. 1, immediately flew to Davao, and left the Philippines on Nov. 28 via Manila.
EASTERN Mindanao Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Salvacion Evangelista, PRO-11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey, and Davao City police spokesperson Police Capt. Hazel Tuazon answer questions regarding the Bondi Beach suspects during the Davao Peace and Security press briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City on Wednesday morning, Dec. 17, 2025. (Photo via Ivy Tejano)
Police Regional Office-11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine dela Rey said the intelligence division, in coordination with other agencies, is verifying the actual presence of the father and son in Davao.
“We are validating if they indeed arrived in Davao, where they stayed, who they met with, or if they merely passed through to another part of Mindanao,” Dela Rey said. “We are investigating the matter because this concerns the entire Philippines.”
Dela Rey assured the public that there is no active threat in the region. “Right now, we don’t have any threat. We are trying our best to avoid that through the ‘culture of security’ where the community reports anything suspicious,” she said.
The PRO–11 spokesperson said police deployment in the region will remain unchanged. She added that they will only augment if necessary. “It is the same security arrangement in celebration of Christmas and the upcoming New Year.”
Dela Rey said the overall assessment in the Davao region is very peaceful. She added that they have maintained this status throughout the year and would continue to do so through the continuous tightening of borders and inside security.
Police Capt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for the Davao City Police Office, emphasized that, although there are no confirmed threats in the city, their monitoring is ongoing in coordination with partner agencies.
“We remain vigilant. Let us remain cautious, regardless of whether there is a threat. Security augmentation in the city remains the same. If the Akrams are still here, rest assured we will coordinate with other agencies to arrest them,” Tuazon said.
Authorities urged the public to report any suspicious activities as part of Davao’s community-based security program. “Maintaining peace and order is a shared responsibility.”
Acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte responded to the news with a lighthearted comment on Tuesday, Dec. 16, suggesting that Davao City has gained global attention. However, he described his statement as a joke.
“Davao City has entered the global scene with the United States’ narrative engineering plan through the use of the Philippine mainstream media and Western-inclined a*s-kissing politicians. Congratulations! Just kidding, I’m just guessing,” Duterte said.