2 days ago
5
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
December 16, 2025 | 7:57pm
A family member holds a portrait of ten-year-old Matilda, as mourners gather near tributes at the Bondi Pavilion in memory to her and the other victims of the Bondi beach shooting, in Sydney on December 16, 2025.
AFP / Saeed Khan
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro spoke on the phone with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday, December 16, to express the Philippines' sympathies with the victim of the recent terror attack in Sydney's Bondi Beach.
In a social media post, Lazaro said she conveyed her "sincere condolences on the Bondi Beach tragedy.” She added that the Philippines “stands firmly in solidarity with Australia and underscores strong PHL–AUS cooperation in security and law enforcement matters,” and reaffirmed Filipino support for efforts to protect communities “from intolerance, hatred, and violence.”
Lazaro's statement did not mention whether they talked about a key detail that has emerged about the incident: Australian and Philippine authorities today confirmed that the two suspects identified in the Bondi Beach attack — a father and son — had traveled to the Philippines in early November. They flew from Sydney to Manila and onward to Davao on Nov. 1, before returning to Australia.
The Bureau of Immigration said today that the elder suspect, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, entered on an Indian passport, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, used an Australian passport.
Authorities in the Philippines and Australia are investigating the purpose of the trip and the extent of any contacts or activities during their stay. The Philippine government has not confirmed any evidence that the suspects received training or were connected to local militant groups.
What happened before. On Sunday, the pair opened fire near Bondi Beach during a Hannukah event, police and Australian media said, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more in what officials are treating as a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State ideology.
One of the suspects was killed by police at the scene, while the other remains in critical condition under custody. Investigators recovered guns, improvised explosive devices and flags associated with the Islamic State in the suspects’ vehicle, according to Australian authorities.
Filipinos make up a significant migrant community in Sydney. The 2021 Australian census showed that 91,339 residents of Greater Sydney were born in the Philippines, making it the sixth largest source of overseas-born residents in the city.
