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It was the scariest moment of his life. 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 assault left 15 dead, including his wife's brother. A five-month battle between the military and the jihadist group in the city of Marawi came after.

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

Nine years later, the shadow of IS again looms over one of the nation's largest cities, amidst global attention over the four-week stay in the city of the alleged Bondi suspects, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who makes a living as a massage therapist at the night market, saw news of the attack on the news, but like other citizens spoken to, felt mostly detached.

The 2016 attack is a traumatic event he is working to forget. A memorial for the 2016 fatalities sits in a corner of the night market, seeming mismatched amid the celebratory environment as many people gathered there for meals, massages and trinkets.

Current Probes Amid Holiday Preparations

Probes regarding the Philippines activities of the duo comes as the predominantly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, malls are busy, 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 extremism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Officials have made clear the inquiry into their activities is active and the precise reason for their stay is remains uncertain.

“It is regrettable that valid issues are co-opted by extremism. Sadly, the narrative of brutal violence was unfairly glued to the island's image,” said Karlos Manlupig, leader of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Safety Record

Lorenzo is furthermore certain that no one could carry out another act of terror in the city long ruled by the family of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both notable and infamous – was built on tightly securing Davao through hardline law and order and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand checking bags.

The Philippine government has pushed back against suggestions that it was a hub for extremists for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of instability and disenfranchisement that has seen some local militant factions form alliances with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups still exist, authorities say they are small and degraded.

Investigators Trace Whereabouts

What is evident, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two stayed within the city nor obtained combat training in the country, as was previously alleged.

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

Authorities say there are several places the two could have gone to or connected with associates in the vicinity. Many of outlets sit between the hotel where they stayed and a close by restaurant, where they were known to buy their food.

Police are examining surveillance tapes and tracing cab rides to piece together their movements, and that every scenario are being considered.

Fears in Marawi Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with extremist groups in 2017, residents are anxious that new associations with terrorism could lead to heightened securitisation and deepen prejudice against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine intelligence community must find out what happened.

“[The Akrams’] stay should be properly investigated and the intelligence should provide clear and truthful answers without converting questions into finger-pointing against the region or its people,” Andullah said.

Manlupig praised local initiatives in strengthening the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “it is not true that extremism magically vanished”. He said the country must confront economic and social issues and governance challenges that drive the reasons behind the conflict while “continue pushing for acceptance and avoid discrimination and division”.