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It was the most terrifying time of his life. In September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The IS strike left 15 dead, among them his brother-in-law. A lengthy battle between the army and the jihadist group in the city of Marawi followed.

“It won’t occur again in Davao,” Pendon asserts.

Years later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the Philippines’ key cities, amid international scrutiny over the four-week stay in the city of the accused Bondi beach shooters, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who works as a masseur at the night market, saw news of the Bondi incident on the television, but as with other locals spoken to, felt predominantly detached.

The 2016 bombing is a bad memory he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 fatalities stands in a part of the night market, looking mismatched amid the festive atmosphere as many people came there for food, massages and trinkets.

Active Investigations Amid Festive Cheer

Examinations of the Philippines activities of the father and son comes as the mostly Catholic country is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, shopping centers are packed, and children knock on doors to perform Christmas songs.

“I was taken aback to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for travel, not terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have made clear the probe into their activities is ongoing and the precise reason for their stay is remains unclear.

“It is just a shame that real concerns are exploited by radicalism. Unfortunately, the story of savage attacks was unfairly glued to Mindanao’s image,” stated Karlos Manlupig, executive director of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Safety History

Lorenzo is additionally certain that no one could perpetrate another act of terror in the city historically administered by the clan of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both notable and notorious – was built on tightly securing Davao through tough law and order and drug war campaigns. At an entrance of the night market, at least four officers stand searching bags.

The authorities has rejected claims that it was a base for militant training for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups persist, authorities say they are limited in size and degraded.

Police Reconstruct Whereabouts

What is certain, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor underwent weapons training in the country, as was initially suggested.

Law enforcement have said they are “taking seriously” the pair’s presence in the country as they piece together the actions of the pair during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Investigators say there are numerous places the two could have visited or had meetings in the vicinity. Dozens of establishments sit between the their accommodation and a nearby Jollibee, where they were reported to buy their food.

Officers are reviewing surveillance tapes and tracking taxi trips to piece together their itinerary, and that all possibilities are being explored.

Concerns in Marawi Over Bias

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with IS-linked militants in 2017, residents are worried that fresh associations with terrorism could lead to tighter restrictions and increase prejudice against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine investigative bodies must establish what happened.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intelligence should provide accurate and honest answers without turning uncertainty into accusations against Mindanao or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig praised civic actions in enhancing the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “this doesn’t mean that radicalism was eradicated”. He said the country must confront root causes and governance challenges that drive the impulses behind the conflict while “keep advocating for acceptance and steer clear of discrimination and polarization”.