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It was the most terrifying experience of his life. In September 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The IS assault killed 15, including his brother-in-law. A lengthy conflict between the armed forces and the jihadist group in Marawi came after.

“It will not happen again in Davao,” Pendon states.

Years later, the threat of IS reappears over one of the nation's largest cities, during international scrutiny over the month-long stay in the city of the alleged Bondi beach shooters, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who makes a living as a masseur at the night market, heard about the Bondi incident on the media, but like other residents surveyed, felt mostly disconnected.

The 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is trying to move on from. A memorial for the 2016 deaths is placed in a part of the night market, seeming mismatched amidst the joyful mood as hundreds gathered there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Active Investigations Amid Festive Celebrations

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the father and son is happening while the predominantly Catholic country is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, shopping centers are packed, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“I was taken aback to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Officials have stated the inquiry into their activities is ongoing and the true reason for their visit is as yet unclear.

“It is regrettable that real concerns are hijacked by extremism. Unfortunately, the story of savage attacks was wrongly attached to Mindanao’s character,” noted Karlos Manlupig, executive director of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Policing Record

Lorenzo is additionally assured that nobody could carry out another terrorist strike in the city for a long time governed by the clan of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both renowned and notorious – was built on aggressively securitising Davao through hardline anti-crime and anti-drug initiatives. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four guards stand checking bags.

The national government has pushed back against allegations that it was a hub for extremists for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of conflict and marginalization that has seen some Muslim separatist groups establish links with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are limited in size and diminished.

Authorities Piece Together Movements

What is certain, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two stayed within the city nor obtained combat training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Law enforcement have said they are “not taking lightly” the duo's presence in the country as they reconstruct the movements of the father and son during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are numerous locations the two could have frequented or connected with associates in the neighborhood. Dozens of businesses sit between the hotel where they stayed and a nearby Jollibee, where they were reported to buy their meals.

Officers are reviewing surveillance tapes and tracing cab rides to establish their whereabouts, and that all possibilities are being entertained.

Fears in the Region Over Bias

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with extremist groups in 2017, locals are concerned that new associations with terrorism could lead to increased security measures and worsen bias against Muslims.

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

“[The Akrams’] stay should be thoroughly examined and the intel should provide clear and truthful answers without transforming doubt into accusations against the region or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig commended civic actions in enhancing the security situation in Davao City but he said “it is not true that extremism simply disappeared”. He said the country must tackle economic and social issues and political factors that motivate the reasons behind the unrest while “persist in promoting tolerance and prevent bias and polarization”.