By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – The local authorities denied reports of any terrorist training ground in Davao or elsewhere in Mindanao, following reports about Australian terror suspects who allegedly visited the Philippines last month.
In Wednesday’s Davao Peace and Security Press Corps briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Salvacion Evangelista stated that they have no record of such activities.
“There is no report about the matter. While it remains part of our monitoring, we only see such things on television. We can assure you that the Eastern Mindanao Command area is free from these terrorists,” Evangelista said.
Evangelista addressed the Davao reporters after the Australian counterterrorism authorities linked Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, to deadly mass shootings in Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left 16 people dead.
According to the Bureau of Immigration, the father-and-son duo reportedly traveled to the Philippines from November 1 to 28 this year, for training under the Islamic State. Reports said these two suspects declared Davao as their destination.
Evangelista clarified that Eastmincom has so far noted zero IS training centers within their areas of responsibility. She stated that the military has no information about the two Akrams and that they have no directive to investigate the matter.
“This is not a military concern. We also cannot say that terrorists slipped through, because nothing happened here,” Evangelista said, adding that the people here should not be alarmed, as the incident happened in Sydney, Australia.
Based on the records from the BI, the two Akrams arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Sydney on November 1, immediately flew to Davao, and left the Philippines on November 28 via Manila.
Police Regional Office–11 spokesperson Police Major Catherine Dela Rey said the intelligence division, in coordination with other agencies, is verifying the actual presence of the father and son in Davao Region.
“We are validating if they indeed arrived in Davao, where they stayed, who they met with, or if they merely passed through to another part of Mindanao,” Dela Rey said. “We are investigating the matter because this concerns the entire Philippines.”
Dela Rey assured the public that there is no active threat in the region. “Right now, we don’t have any threat. We are trying our best to avoid that through the ‘culture of security’ where the community reports anything suspicious,” she said.
The PRO–11 spokesperson said police deployment in the region will remain unchanged. She added that they will only augment if necessary. “It is the same security arrangement in celebration of Christmas and the upcoming New Year.”
Dela Rey said the overall assessment in the Davao Region is very peaceful. She added that they have maintained this status throughout the year and would continue to do so through the continuous tightening of borders and inside security.
Police Captain Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for the Davao City Police Office, emphasized that, although there are no confirmed threats in the city, their monitoring is ongoing in coordination with partner agencies.
“We remain vigilant. Let us remain cautious, regardless of whether there is a threat. Security augmentation in the city remains the same. If the Akrams are still here, rest assured we will coordinate with other agencies to arrest them,” Tuazon said.
The authorities continue to urge the public to report any suspicious activities as part of Davao’s community-based security program. “Maintaining peace and order is a shared responsibility.”
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte responded to the news with a lighthearted comment on Tuesday, December 16, suggesting that Davao City has gained global attention. However, he described his statement as a joke and that he was guessing.
