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It was the most frightening time of his life. Back in 2016, Gerry Pendon was only five metres away from a blast at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The IS assault killed 15, among them his brother-in-law. A lengthy battle between the military and the militant group in Marawi came after.

“It will not occur again in Davao,” Pendon asserts.

Years later, the threat of IS again looms over one of the country's major cities, during global attention over the four-week stay in the city of the suspected Bondi attackers, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who makes a living as a massage technician at the night market, heard about the Bondi incident on the media, but similar to other residents interviewed, felt predominantly detached.

Even the 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is working to forget. A remembrance marker for the 2016 deaths sits in a section of the night market, seeming mismatched amidst the celebratory environment as many people came there for meals, massages and goods.

Ongoing Investigations Amid Holiday Celebrations

Examinations of the Philippines activities of the pair is happening while the overwhelmingly Catholic country is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been decorated with a towering Christmas tree, shopping centers are crowded, 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 violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have made clear the inquiry into their whereabouts is ongoing and the precise reason for their stay is still unknown.

“It is simply regrettable that real concerns are co-opted by radicalism. Unfortunately, the story of savage attacks was incorrectly tied to the island's image,” noted Karlos Manlupig, head of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Policing Legacy

Lorenzo is additionally assured that nobody could execute another act of terror in the city for a long time ruled by the family of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both notable and notorious – was established by tightly securing Davao through hardline law and order and anti-drug policies. At one entrance of the night market, at least four guards stand inspecting bags.

The Philippine government has rejected allegations that it was a base for militant training for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of instability and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups form alliances with overseas extremist organizations. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are small and diminished.

Authorities Piece Together Whereabouts

What is clear, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two never left the city nor received combat training in the country, as was initially suggested.

Police have said they are “not taking lightly” the duo's stay in the country as they reconstruct the activities of the suspects during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are many establishments the two could have frequented or had meetings in the area. Dozens of outlets sit between the GV Hotel and a nearby popular fast food chain, where they were reported to buy their meals.

Detectives are reviewing security camera video and following cab rides to establish their whereabouts, and that any potential lead are being explored.

Worries in Marawi Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with IS-linked militants in 2017, inhabitants are anxious that fresh terrorist labels could lead to increased security measures and increase discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the university in Marawi City, said the Philippine intelligence community must establish what transpired.

“[The Akrams’] stay should be carefully probed and the information should provide transparent and factual answers without turning uncertainty into finger-pointing against Mindanao or its people,” Andullah said.

Manlupig lauded civic actions in enhancing the peace and order in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism magically vanished”. He said the country must tackle socioeconomic factors and political factors that motivate the impulses behind the violence while “persist in promoting tolerance and steer clear of prejudice and sectarianism”.