MANILA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) - The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday confirmed that the two gunmen in one of Australia's deadliest mass shootings visited the Philippines last month.
Naveed Akram and his fellow shooter, his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram arrived from Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 1, and both declared Davao City in the southern Philippines as their destination, according to BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval.
"They left the country on November 28, 2025, on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination," Sandoval said.
The Philippines' National Security Council (NSC) said it is aware of reports linking the suspects to travel in the Philippines and that the information is being validated.
The agency added that there is no confirmed information indicating the visit posed a security threat or an immediate concern.
"Standard security, immigration, and counterterrorism protocols remain fully active, with coordination ongoing with Australian authorities," the NSC said in a statement.
The father and son opened fire on a Jewish festival at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens of others. ■
