PH NOT AN ISIS TRAINING HOTSPOT – PALACE

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has firmly dismissed misleading claims portraying the Philippines as a training hotspot for violent extremist groups, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the National Security Council (NSC) maintained there is no confirmation to allegations that the father-and-son suspects in the recent mass shooting in Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia received training in the Philippines before the incident on December 14.

“The President strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as the ISIS training hotspot,” Castro said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

According to Castro, the NSC said reports describing the Philippines as an ISIS hotspot were misleading since currently there is no validated report that the suspects in the Bondi Beach shooting received any form of training in the Philippines.

“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.

In its statement, the NSC emphasized that Philippine security forces have significantly weakened ISIS-affiliated groups since the 2017 Marawi siege, reflecting substantial improvements in the country’s domestic security environment.

“Both United Nations and the US 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.

The NSC pointed out the significant improvements achieved in the domestic security environment that were previously affected by terrorism.

“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,” the NSC said.

The NSC added that President Marcos remains clear in his directive to the Anti-Terrorism Council and other member-agencies to stay vigilant to prevent any terrorist activity within Philippine territory and to continuously enhance cooperation with international partners to safeguard national security