- Authorities investigate local ties of Sydney’s Bondi Beach shooters
THE POLICE Regional Office (PRO) XI and the Davao Airport Police are verifying reports that the two gunmen responsible for the deadly mass terror shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, stayed in Davao City for a month during their recent visit to the Philippines.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday confirmed that the suspects, father-and-son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24, were in the country before the terror attack that killed 16 so far.
The two arrived in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport together on Nov. 1, 2025, from Sydney, Australia, before immediately flying to Davao City, according to a TIMES source.
“Both reported Davao as their final destination,” the BI said in a statement.
BI records show that the duo departed the Philippines on Nov. 28, 2025, on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination.
Local police investigate
When asked if authorities had confirmed the suspects’ stay and specific location within Davao, Major Catherine Dela Rey, the PRO XI spokesperson, told TIMES on Tuesday, “We are still investigating that information.”
They are also looking into reports that the two suspects received military-grade training under the Islamic State in the Philippines.
The Davao Airport Police also confirmed in a separate message that they are still verifying the immigration data.
The Bondi Beach Incident
The Akrams were identified by Australian media as the shooters who killed 16 people, including a 10-year-old girl, at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Monday, using long-barreled guns. The father, Sajid Akram, was killed in a shootout with officers, while the son, Naveed Akram, remains in critical condition in a hospital under police guard.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated on Tuesday that the duo appeared to be driven by “Islamic State ideology”.
Photo credit: CitizenClips/X
