PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has dismissed claims linking the Philippines to the training of violent extremists, Malacañang said Wednesday, December 17, 2025, following reports tied to the recent mass shooting in Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia.
In a press conference, Palace Press Officer Attorney Claire Castro said the National Security Council (NSC) has found no evidence to support allegations that the father-and-son suspects in the December 14 attack that killed 16 individuals, including one of the suspects, received terrorist training in the Philippines.
“The President strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as an Isis training hotspot,” Castro said.
Castro said the NSC considers reports portraying the country as a haven for Islamic State-linked training as misleading, noting that no validated information has surfaced to show the suspects had 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.
The NSC also underscored that Philippine security forces have significantly weakened Isis-affiliated groups since the 2017 Marawi siege, leading to major improvements in the domestic security environment.
Citing assessments by the United Nations and the United States government, the NSC said Isis-linked groups in the Philippines now operate in a fragmented and diminished capacity.
It added that most violence in Mindanao nowadays is rooted in long-standing local conflicts and clan feuds rather than the operational capability of international terrorist networks.
“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.
Malacañang said President Marcos has directed the Anti-Terrorism Council and other concerned agencies to remain vigilant against any potential terrorist activity and to continue strengthening cooperation with international partners to ensure national security. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)