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This was the most terrifying experience of his existence. Back in the fall of 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a detonation at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The IS strike left 15 dead, among them his wife's brother. A lengthy battle between the armed forces and the jihadist group in Marawi City ensued.

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

Nearly a decade later, the specter of IS again looms over one of the country's largest cities, during global attention over the month-long stay in the city of the accused Bondi beach shooters, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who makes a living as a massage technician at the night market, saw news of Bondi on the media, but similar to other residents spoken to, felt largely detached.

The 2016 bombing is a painful recollection he is working to forget. A memorial for the 2016 fatalities sits in a section of the night market, appearing out of place against the celebratory atmosphere as many people gathered there for meals, massages and souvenirs.

Current Inquiries Amid Festive Cheer

Investigations into the Philippines activities of the father and son is happening while the overwhelmingly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children knock on doors to perform Christmas songs.

“It surprised me to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have emphasized the investigation into their activities is ongoing and the precise reason for their visit is remains unknown.

“It is simply regrettable that real concerns are hijacked by radicalism. Unfortunately, the reputation of extreme conflict was unfairly glued to the region's identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, head of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Security Legacy

Lorenzo is also assured that nobody could perpetrate another terrorist strike in the city long administered by the clan of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both renowned and controversial – was forged through heavily policing Davao through tough law and order and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at least four personnel stand checking bags.

The national government has denied claims that it was a hub for extremists for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of instability and marginalization that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are limited in size and weakened.

Police Piece Together Movements

What is clear, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two never left the city nor received military-style training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Police have said they are “treating with gravity” the pair’s presence in the country as they reconstruct the activities of the suspects during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Police say there are several establishments the two could have visited or had meetings in the vicinity. Many of establishments sit between the hotel where they stayed and a nearby Jollibee, where they were known to buy their meals.

Detectives are examining security camera video and tracking taxi trips to establish their movements, and that every scenario are being entertained.

Concerns in the Region Over Bias

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, locals are concerned that renewed associations with terrorism could lead to tighter restrictions and deepen discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a professor at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine investigative bodies must find out what happened.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intelligence should provide transparent and factual answers without transforming doubt into blame against the region or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig commended community efforts in improving the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that terrorism simply disappeared”. He said the country must address socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that drive the reasons behind the unrest while “keep advocating for acceptance and steer clear of prejudice and polarization”.