DAVAO CITY(December 22) — A Mindanao-based civic group and a top regional official on Saturday rejected claims branding the island as a “terror hotspot,” saying there is no evidence linking the Bondi Beach shooting suspects’ brief stay in Davao City to militant activity or military-style training.
The Mindanao Alliance for Progress (MAP) issued the statement after media reports cited disclosures that two individuals involved in the Bondi Beach attack in Australia had previously stayed in Mindanao, prompting sweeping security characterizations of the region.
MAP coordinator Mayet Valdez said accounts from hotel staff indicated the visitors largely stayed inside their rooms and went out only briefly during their stay.
“There is no evidence that they received military-style or terrorist training while in Mindanao,” Valdez said, calling the generalization of an entire region “misleading and irresponsible.”
Valdez pointed to years of relative stability following the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, describing it as a turning point for security and development.
She warned that stigmatizing narratives risk undermining peace-building gains, discouraging investment, and deterring tourism at a time when communities are working to move beyond conflict.
Echoing the criticism, Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Leo Tereso Magno said labeling Mindanao a terror hotspot based on the movements of isolated individuals is “misleading and unfair.”
“Mere presence does not equate to complicity,” Magno said, stressing there is no indication that planning, radicalization, or operational support for the attack occurred in Mindanao.
He added that millions of tourists, business travelers, overseas workers, and foreign nationals pass through the region each year for legitimate purposes.
Magno underscored that sustained peace processes, counterterrorism cooperation, and community-based security initiatives have significantly improved Mindanao’s safety and investment climate.
“Mindanao today is far more stable and peaceful than it was decades ago,” he said.
MAP urged media organizations and international officials to exercise caution and rely strictly on verified information, warning that careless language could erode public confidence and reverse hard-earned progress toward lasting peace.
