As the year came to a close, Mindanao was once again thrust into the international spotlight as a “terror hotbed” following the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, Australia on December 14. The attack, which occurred during the Jewish festival Hanukkah, left 15 people dead and was carried out by Sajid Akram, an Indian national, and his son Naveed, an Indian-Australian. Initial reports from Australia claimed that the gunmen had trained in Mindanao, a region in the Philippines. However, Philippine officials, including National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año, were quick to dismiss the terrorist tag as “outdated, misleading, unfair.” Año stated that there was no valid report or confirmation that the father and son received any form of military training during their stay in the country. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the Akrams traveled to Davao City in the Philippines on November 1 and stayed for four weeks, but Año stressed that “a mere visit does not support allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have allowed for any meaningful or structured training.” Secretary Leo Tereso Magno, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, also weighed in, saying that “Mindanao is not a terror hotspot” and that reports tagging the region as such are “misleading and unfair.” A public perception survey conducted by MinDA in the third quarter of 2025 showed high public confidence in Mindanao’s safety and security, with 88.51% of respondents feeling safe, 90.15% feeling secure, and 91.08% trusting the authorities. The survey involved 7,200 respondents and was conducted in partnership with the Philippine National Police. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett noted that the initial assessment from the Philippine National Police suggested that the Akrams acted alone and that there was no evidence to suggest they received training or underwent logistical preparation for the alleged attack. Barrett thanked the PNP for providing CCTV footage of the Akrams in Davao City and said they were reviewing the material. Despite the incident, businessman Tony Peralta, Honorary Consul of Finland in Mindanao, said that the terrorist-tagging had “minimal impact on Mindanao’s image, investment, and trade destination” due to the immediate responses of national and Mindanao officials.
