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It was the most terrifying time of his life. In the fall of 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five meters away from a detonation at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The Islamic State strike left 15 dead, among them his wife's brother. A five-month conflict between the armed forces and the jihadist group in Marawi came after.

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

Nine years later, the threat of IS once more hangs over one of the nation's key cities, amid global attention over the month-long stay in the city of the alleged Bondi suspects, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who works as a massage technician at the night market, learned of the Bondi incident on the television, but similar to other residents interviewed, felt predominantly disconnected.

The 2016 attack is a bad memory he is trying to move on from. A monument for the 2016 victims stands in a section of the night market, appearing incongruous against the joyful atmosphere as hundreds came there for meals, massages and souvenirs.

Current Inquiries Amid Christmas Celebrations

Probes regarding the time in the Philippines of the father and son comes as the mostly Catholic nation is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been lit up by a tall Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children knock on doors to perform Christmas songs.

“It surprised me to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for travel, not terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have emphasized the investigation into their actions is ongoing and the exact reason for their stay is still uncertain.

“It is just a shame that valid issues are co-opted by terrorism. Regrettably, the reputation of extreme conflict was unfairly glued to the island's identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Safety Legacy

Lorenzo is furthermore assured that nobody could perpetrate another act of terror in the city historically governed by the clan of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both notable and infamous – was built on aggressively securitising Davao through hardline anti-crime and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand searching bags.

The authorities has pushed back against suggestions that it was a base for militant training for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups remain present, authorities say they are small and diminished.

Investigators Reconstruct Movements

What is evident, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor received weapons training in the country, as was initially suggested.

Investigators have said they are “taking seriously” the duo's stay 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 locations the two could have frequented or had meetings in the neighborhood. Scores of outlets sit between the GV Hotel and a local popular fast food chain, where they were understood to buy their meals.

Detectives are analyzing security camera video and tracing cab rides to piece together their itinerary, and that all possibilities are being considered.

Concerns in Marawi City Over Labels

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

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

“[The Akrams’] visit should be thoroughly examined and the information should provide accurate and honest answers without converting questions into finger-pointing against its people or its people,” he said.

Manlupig praised civic actions in strengthening the peace and order in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism was eradicated”. He said the country must confront socioeconomic factors and political factors that motivate the reasons behind the unrest while “keep advocating for acceptance and steer clear of discrimination and sectarianism”.