The Philippines’ long battle against Islamist extremism is back in the spotlight following Bondi attack

As Australian authorities try to retrace the steps and understand the motivations of the Bondi Beach gunmen who killed 15 people on Sunday, one key focus has emerged: their travel to the Philippines last month, shortly before the attack. Officials Read More …

Philippines: Bomb threats expose critical shortage in police EOD personnel

A surge of bomb threats across Western Visayas has exposed a worrying security gap: the region is being protected by only 61 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel, a number police officials concede is dangerously insufficient as incidents continue to escalate. Read More …

Philippines: Two killed in Sulu explosion

Two persons were killed in an improvised fishing device explosion in Sulu province on Saturday, Nov. 22. The fatalities were identified as Abdul Tiri Basang, 70; and Indal Pascual, 40, residents of Zone 3, Barangay Tulay, Jolo municipality. Two persons Read More …

Philippines: Special Action Force arrests bomb expert of Dawlah Islmiyah-Hassan Group in Sultan Kudarat

Elite policemen from the Special Action Force (SAF) arrested a suspected bombmaker of the Dawlah Islamiyah- Hassan Group during an operation in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. Police Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr., acting chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Read More …

Philippines: Army slams NPAs for stockpiling IEDs near Butuan community

The Philippine Army’s 48th Infantry Battalion (48IB) denounced the communist New People’s Army (NPA) for endangering residents by stockpiling improvised explosive devices (IEDs) close to a community in Butuan City. The 48IB troopers recovered the explosives in Purok 6, Barangay Read More …

Philippines: Soldiers recover 17 bombs in South Cotabato, foil alleged rebel plot

Soldiers in South Cotabato recovered 17 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) believed to have been planted by communist rebels, preventing a possible attack in the province, the military said on Thursday. Troops from the Army’s 105th Infantry Battalion responded to reports Read More …

Philippines: National Police Commission vows upgrades for PNP explosive, K9 units

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) on Friday committed the agency’s full support for the capability enhancement of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Explosives and Ordnance Division/Canine Group (EOD/K9 Group). Napolcom Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan made this Read More …

Philippines: WW2 bombs, Japanese grenade found at Philippine General Hospital

Two vintage World War II bombs and a Japanese grenade have been unearthed on the ground floor of Salcedo Hall at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) on Monday, 7 July. In an announcement released by the UP-PGH Read More …

Nigeria: 4 Killed, 10 Injured In Fresh IED Explosion In Borno

Four persons have been killed while 10 others sustained injuries when an Isuzu vehicle conveying passengers from Damboa to Maiduguri, Borno State rammed into an improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to have been planted by Boko Haram terrorists. The incident Read More …

Philippines: Two dead, two hurt in Maguindanao del Sur clash

Two alleged members of the Dawlah Islamiyah-Hassan Group were killed while two others were injured and arrested in an armed encounter in Barangay Libutan, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur on Sunday, June 22, 2025. According to the 6th Infantry Division (6ID), Read More …

Philippines: Militiaman wounded by IED inside parcel

A militiaman was injured late Monday after a parcel he believed to be a gift exploded in his hands within the premises of an Army headquarters in Lamitan City, Basilan. Police investigators in Lamitan City said the parcel, containing an Read More …

Philippines: One arrested, bomb-making components seized in Zamboanga Sibugay

Authorities have arrested one person and seized bomb-making materials in a law enforcement operation in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, the police said Wednesday, May 28, 2025. The Zamboanga Sibugay Maritime Police Station (ZS Marpsta) identified the arrested person as Read More …

Philippines, US troops train on airfield repair, ordnance disposal

Philippine Army (PA) engineers along with their American counterparts have trained together as part of efforts to enhance their capabilities in airfield damage repair (ADR) and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD). In a statement Tuesday, PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said Read More …

Joint Australian Training Team – Philippines: Sappers get a blast out of shared training

Under the beating sun in Tarlac City in the Philippines, Australian explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialists recently exchanged experience and techniques with their Filipino counterparts. In late February and early March, an eight-person mobile training team (MTT) from Australia delivered Read More …

Philippines: 6 Central Mindanao terrorist bomb makers surrender to Army

Six more members of two now defunct terror groups, all experts in fabrication of home-made bombs, had surrendered to an Army unit and pledged allegiance to the government. Major Gen. Donald Guimiran, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told Read More …

Philippines, US train to stop illegal WMD trafficking

From March 24 to 28, the United States government, through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) International Counterproliferation Program (ICP), hosted a maritime security training to enhance Philippine government’s efforts to counter the maritime trafficking of hazardous chemical, biological, radiological, Read More …

Philippines: IED blast leaves 6 soldiers, 1 civilian hurt in Iloilo

Six soldiers and a civilian were wounded when an alleged improvised explosive device blew up in Janiuay town, Iloilo, on Friday. Members of the 601st Brigade of the Philippine Army and a 64-year-old civilian were struck by shrapnel. The military Read More …

Philippines: Captured rebel leads Army to NPA’s hidden weapons in Quezon

An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA), who was captured last week, led government forces to a cache of firearms hidden by his comrades in Lopez, Quezon province. Colonel Jeffrex Molina, chief of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division Read More …

Philippines: More terrorists surrender in Maguindanao del Sur

Another group of local terrorists in Maguindanao del Sur surrendered to the Philippine Army on Friday, March 14, the seventh since January. The 16 members of the Dawlah Islamiya and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters first turned over their powerful improvised Read More …

Philippines: Troops foil roadside bombing in Maguindanao del Sur

Government troops have foiled a roadside bombing as they safely recovered and disposed an improvised explosive device (IED) in Datu Unsay, Maguindanao del Sur, the military said Saturday, December 28, 2024. Lieutenant Colonel Rowel Gavilanes, 90th Infantry Battalion commander, said Read More …