The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said it is verifying reports that the gunmen involved in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, Australia, had traveled to the Philippines prior to the attack. PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño said Acting PNP Chief Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has directed the Directorate for Intelligence to validate the report and is coordinating with the Bureau of Immigration (BI). It was earlier reported that the alleged attackers were a father and son. The 50-year-old father was killed at the scene, while his 24-year-old son remains in critical condition in a hospital. In a separate report, a news outlet quoted Australian police as saying the two suspects traveled to the Philippines last month, with authorities still investigating the purpose of their trip. Australian police added that initial findings suggested the suspects may have been inspired by Islamic State ideology, noting that two homemade Islamic State flags were found in a vehicle used by one of the men. Local media reports also claimed the suspects may have gone to the Philippines for “military-style training,” citing unnamed sources. The death toll from the Sunday shooting has reached 16, according to police.
