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It was the most terrifying experience of his life. During September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five meters away from a blast at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The ISIS assault claimed 15 lives, among them his brother-in-law. A prolonged battle between the armed forces and the militant group in the city of Marawi ensued.

“It will not occur again in Davao,” Pendon asserts.

Nine years later, the threat of IS reappears over one of the Philippines’ key cities, amidst worldwide focus over the 28-day stay in the city of the suspected Bondi attackers, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who is a a massage therapist at the night market, heard about Bondi on the television, but as with other locals interviewed, felt predominantly removed.

Even the 2016 attack is a painful recollection he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 deaths is placed in a section of the night market, seeming mismatched amid the festive mood as hundreds flocked there for meals, massages and goods.

Ongoing Investigations Amid Festive Celebrations

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the pair is happening while the overwhelmingly Catholic country is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been adorned with a large Christmas tree, malls are packed, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for tourism, not extremism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have made clear the investigation into their activities is ongoing and the exact reason for their stay is still uncertain.

“It is just unfortunate that real concerns are hijacked by extremism. Sadly, the narrative of brutal violence was wrongly attached to the island's image,” said Karlos Manlupig, head of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Policing History

Lorenzo is additionally confident that no one could execute another terrorist strike in the city historically governed by the political machine of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both renowned and notorious – was forged through tightly securing Davao through strict anti-crime and drug war policies. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four guards stand inspecting bags.

The national government has denied claims that it was a hub for extremists for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of conflict and marginalization that has seen some local militant factions forge ties with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups remain present, experts say they are small and diminished.

Authorities Reconstruct Whereabouts

What is evident, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two never left the city nor received weapons training in the country, as was previously alleged.

Law enforcement have said they are “not taking lightly” the pair’s presence in the country as they piece together the actions of the suspects during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are many locations the two could have gone to or had meetings in the neighborhood. Many of establishments sit between the hotel where they stayed and a close by popular fast food chain, where they were understood to buy their meals.

Police are examining surveillance tapes and following transport records to establish their itinerary, and that all possibilities are being entertained.

Fears in Marawi Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of intense fighting with IS-linked militants in 2017, locals are worried that renewed terrorist labels could lead to increased security measures and increase bias against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must find out what took place.

“[The Akrams’] time here should be properly investigated and the intel should provide clear and truthful answers without converting questions into blame against its people or its people,” Andullah said.

Manlupig praised community efforts in improving the security situation in Davao City but he said “this doesn’t mean that radicalism was eradicated”. He said the country must tackle socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that fuel the impulses behind the violence while “persist in promoting tolerance and steer clear of bias and sectarianism”.