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This was the most terrifying time of his life. In September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five meters away from a blast at the night market in Roxas in Davao City. The Islamic State strike killed 15, including his wife's brother. A prolonged battle between the military and the extremist group in Marawi came after.

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

Nearly a decade later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the nation's key cities, during international scrutiny over the four-week stay in the city of the suspected Bondi attackers, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who makes a living as a masseur at the night market, saw news of the Bondi incident on the media, but like other residents interviewed, felt predominantly disconnected.

Even the 2016 bombing is a painful recollection he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 deaths stands in a corner of the night market, looking mismatched amidst the festive environment as many people came there for meals, massages and trinkets.

Ongoing Probes Amid Christmas Cheer

Investigations into the Philippines activities of the duo coincides with the overwhelmingly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s government center has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, malls are packed, and children go door-to-door to perform Christmas songs.

“It surprised me 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. Authorities have stated the probe into their actions is active and the exact reason for their trip is still unclear.

“It is just unfortunate that valid issues are hijacked by terrorism. Regrettably, the story of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to the island's character,” stated Karlos Manlupig, leader of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Faith in Policing Legacy

Lorenzo is additionally confident that nobody could execute another terror attack in the city for a long time governed by the political machine of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both notable and notorious – was built on tightly securing Davao through strict law and order and anti-drug initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at least four guards stand checking bags.

The national government has rejected allegations that it was a hub for extremists for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Muslim separatist groups form alliances with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups remain present, security officials say they are limited in size and degraded.

Investigators Piece Together Movements

What is evident, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two did not leave the city nor underwent military-style training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Police have said they are “taking seriously” the pair’s visit in the country as they map out the actions of the pair during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are numerous places the two could have gone to or had meetings in the neighborhood. Dozens of outlets sit between the their accommodation and a local restaurant, where they were understood to buy their food.

Detectives are analyzing CCTV footage and following taxi trips to piece together their movements, and that all possibilities are being explored.

Worries in Marawi Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with IS-linked militants in 2017, inhabitants are concerned that renewed terrorist labels could lead to tighter restrictions and worsen discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the university in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must find out what happened.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intel should provide transparent and factual answers without converting questions into blame against the region or its people,” he said.

Manlupig praised local initiatives in strengthening the peace and order in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that terrorism magically vanished”. He said the country must confront socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that motivate the impulses behind the unrest while “persist in promoting tolerance and prevent prejudice and polarization”.