In a statement, Eduardo Año said that a mere visit to the country does not substantiate allegations of terrorist training, and the duration of their stay would not have permitted any meaningful or structured training.

The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 in an attack that shocked Australia and heightened fears of antisemitism and violent extremism.

Año said the government was investigating the two men’s travel from November 1 to 28 and coordinating with Australian authorities to determine the purpose of the visit, dismissing media reports portraying the southern Philippines as a hotspot for violent extremism as “outdated” and “misleading”.

Immigration records show the pair landed in Manila and travelled to Davao City in Mindanao, a region long-plagued by militancy, before the attack that Australian police say appeared to have been inspired by the Daesh group.

The alleged father-and-son gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 in an attack that shocked Australia.

Año said the government was investigating the two men’s travel from November 1 to 28 and coordinating with Australian authorities to determine the purpose of the visit, dismissing media reports portraying the southern Philippines as a hotspot for violent extremism as “outdated” and “misleading”.

The men stayed mostly in their rooms for almost a month at a budget hotel in Davao, MindaNews reported.

The father and son checked in at noon on November 1 and rarely went out for more than an hour, a hotel staffer told the online news outlet, which is based in Mindanao.

Hotel staff said the two kept to themselves, never spoke to other guests, or had visitors.

They were only seen walking nearby and never taking rides or getting picked up in front of the hotel.

Since the 2017 Marawi siege, a five-month battle in which the Daesh-inspired Maute group seized the southern city and fought government forces, Philippine troops have significantly degraded Daesh-affiliated groups, Año said.

“The remnants of these groups have been fragmented, deprived of leadership, and operationally degraded,” he added.