The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday expressed their doubts on media reports that the Bondi Beach Shooters received “military-style training” in the Philippines during their trip in the country.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla stated that the militant groups in the country have weakened over the years thus reducing their ability to train individuals and plan any large-scale attacks.
“They also have lost senior figures, which weakened the command structures and reduced the ability of these groups to plan, direct, and sustain operations” Col. Padilla mentioned.
Col. Padilla added that the AFP is studying the activities of the shooters during their stay in the Philippines last November.
Last December 16, 2025 the Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that father and son Sajid Akram, 50, travelled to the country on an Indian passport and his son, Naveed, 24, using an Australian passport.
The two arrived in the Philippines on November 1 from Sydney, Australia, spending most of their stay in Davao, and left on November 28 on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.
Australian authorities are conducting investigations whether the suspects’ travels played a role in their actions.
