MANILA, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos has "firmly dismissed misleading claims" portraying the Philippines as a training hotspot for violent extremist groups, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said on Wednesday.
"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.
Castro said the National Security Council (NSC) maintains that there is no confirmation of allegations that the father-and-son suspects in the recent mass shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, received training in the Philippines before the incident.
"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.
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 said that 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.
The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration on Tuesday confirmed that the two gunmen in one of Australia's deadliest mass shootings visited the Philippines last month.
The father and son opened fire on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens of others. ■
