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This was the scariest time of his life. Back in September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a blast at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The ISIS assault claimed 15 lives, among them his wife's brother. A prolonged siege between the military and the militant group in the city of Marawi ensued.

“It cannot take place again in Davao,” Pendon states.

Nearly a decade later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the Philippines’ key cities, amidst worldwide focus over the month-long 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, learned of the Bondi incident on the media, but similar to other locals surveyed, felt predominantly disconnected.

The 2016 attack is a painful recollection he is working to forget. A memorial for the 2016 fatalities stands in a corner of the night market, appearing incongruous amid the festive atmosphere as hundreds came there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Active Probes Amid Christmas Preparations

Examinations of the time in the Philippines of the father and son is happening while the overwhelmingly Catholic country is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, malls are crowded, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“It surprised me to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for tourism, not violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. The government have made clear the probe into their activities is ongoing and the exact reason for their trip is still unknown.

“It is just a shame that legitimate grievances are exploited by radicalism. Unfortunately, the narrative of brutal violence was wrongly attached to the region's identity,” said Karlos Manlupig, head of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Security Legacy

Lorenzo is furthermore confident that nobody could perpetrate another terrorist strike in the city for a long time administered by the clan of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both notable and infamous – was established by tightly securing Davao through hardline law and order and drug war policies. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand inspecting bags.

The national government has pushed back against claims that it was a base for militant training for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of instability and marginalization that has seen some Islamic independence movements establish links with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups remain present, authorities say they are limited in size and diminished.

Police Trace Movements

What is clear, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor underwent combat training in the country, as was previously alleged.

Police have said they are “not taking lightly” the duo'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 locations the two could have gone to or met contacts in the vicinity. Scores of businesses sit between the hotel where they stayed and a local popular fast food chain, where they were reported to buy their food.

Officers are reviewing CCTV footage and following taxi trips to reconstruct their movements, and that any potential lead are being explored.

Concerns in the Region Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with extremist groups in 2017, inhabitants are worried that fresh terrorist labels could lead to heightened securitisation and deepen discrimination against Muslims.

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

“[The Akrams’] stay should be carefully probed and the information should provide accurate and honest answers without converting questions into blame against the region or its people,” he 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 tackle socioeconomic factors and political factors that drive the impulses behind the conflict while “persist in promoting acceptance and steer clear of discrimination and division”.