The Philippine National Police is also pursuing an investigation into the recent travels of foreign gunmen Sajid and Naveed Akram. They had almost the entire month of November to roam free in Davao, the largest city of the biggest southern island, Mindanao. This inquiry was motivated by worries about the area’s longstanding connections to terrorism. As for the claims regarding the Philippines, according to officials, there is currently no indication the Philippines is hosting any terrorist training right now.
In fact, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been very vocal against such media narratives that make the Philippines out to be an “ISIS training haven.” He claims this is a dangerous mischaracterization, one that fails to take into account the rapidly evolving security landscape. In Yoshino’s words, the president’s press officer doubled down on this position. He stated clearly that there’s been no documented evidence of terrorist training taking place in the Philippines.
Investigation Underway
The police spokesperson declared that their intelligence division would be in charge of the investigation. This means they will be looking specifically at the footsteps of Sajid and Naveed Akram. Major Catherine Dela Rey stated, “We are conducting an investigation if they indeed arrived in Davao.” Additionally, authorities are looking into whether the Akram duo had any intention of going to other places on the island after arriving there.
Davao City has a long history of being a train for suspected Islamic extremism, most recently made notorious by bombing incidents in 2016. In the last few years, conflicts between the Philippine military and the last remnants of the Filipino terror squads became regular news. Undersecretary Nabil Tan of the Office of Muslim Affairs asserted that the infrastructure of terrorist groups in Mindanao has crumbled. They warn that breeding training defects are abundant.
“There is still the capacity, very much, for people to be trained,” – Levi West, expert on terrorism and radicalization.
The police further refused to provide information as to whether they are working with Australian law enforcement in relation to the Akram investigation. An Australian Federal Police spokesperson told the Guardian that strong coordination between government agencies was key. They still have an eye toward combating future foreign national influxes that may promote terrorism.
Changing Landscape of Terrorism in Mindanao
Dr. Levi West noted that the evolution of training camps located in the southern Philippines has changed dramatically over the last few years. Even with their presence, he cautioned, they make for a significant risk. Following the recapture of Marawi, a city that was embroiled in a bloody conflict resulting in over 900 militant deaths, the infrastructure supporting terrorist organizations has declined. This slashing does not preclude the idea that people might be trained.
Security experts across the board are shocked by the influx of foreign nationals in the area. Without law enforcement or intelligence services keeping track of them, they warn, these people can move about undetected.
“Unless somebody is being monitored and being surveilled, whether by law enforcement or intelligence services, the simple purchasing of a plane ticket to the Philippines is not going to set off any alarms or triggers,” – anonymous source.
Government Response to Concerns
Under President Marcos Jr., the government has come under increasing scrutiny. First, he vigorously disputed accusations that the Philippines is home to a terrorist safe haven. The palace press officer defended this assertion by stating, “The president strongly rejects this sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot.”
The federal government is currently tracing the travels of Sajid and Naveed Akram. As for protecting private data, they’re all-in on ensuring no threats ever come to bear. At the same time, officials are working deeply with several federal agencies. They do appreciate a comprehensive look at everything involved with getting foreign nationals in and any ties to terrorism.
Feds are casting an ever-wider net in this investigation. Here, they are closely monitoring the potential effects of bringing foreigners to travel in areas with violent pasts. Through these actions, they seek to protect their country’s national security interests while countering the false narrative about terrorism in the Philippines.
