No Filipino casualties reported in Bondi Beach terror attack, says PH consulate
MANILA — The Philippine Consulate General in Sydney said there have been no reports of Filipino casualties in the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach over the weekend.
In a statement issued on Monday, December 15, the consulate said it had coordinated with the New South Wales Police Protection Operations Unit, which advised that “as of this time, there are no indications that Filipino nationals are among the confirmed fatalities or injured.”
The consulate conveyed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured, and to the communities affected by the attack.
It also urged members of the Filipino community in New South Wales to remain vigilant and to follow guidance from police and emergency services.
For Filipinos needing urgent assistance directly arising from the incident, the consulate advised them to contact its Assistance to Nationals hotline at +61 481 728 027.
The shooting occurred yesterday at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where hundreds had gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday that lasts eight days and typically falls between late November and late December.
Police have declared the incident a terrorist attack. Authorities said the death toll has risen to 15, while 38 people remain hospitalized.
The suspects have been identified by the police as a father and son. The former was killed by policed at the scene, while the latter is in the hospital.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would push for tougher gun laws after the incident, now considered one of the deadliest attacks in Australia in decades.
Filipinos make up a significant migrant community in Sydney. The 2021 Australian census showed that 91,339 residents of Greater Sydney were born in the Philippines, making it the sixth largest source of overseas-born residents in the city.
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