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It was the scariest experience of his existence. In 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a detonation at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The ISIS strike killed 15, including his wife's brother. A lengthy siege between the army and the militant group in the city of Marawi ensued.

“It will not take place again in Davao,” Pendon says.

Nine years later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the nation's major cities, amidst international scrutiny over the four-week 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, heard about the Bondi incident on the news, but as with other citizens surveyed, felt predominantly disconnected.

The 2016 attack is a traumatic event he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 victims stands in a corner of the night market, appearing incongruous amidst the festive environment as hundreds came there for meals, massages and trinkets.

Ongoing Inquiries Amid Holiday Celebrations

Examinations of the Philippines activities of the pair is happening while the mostly Catholic country is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been adorned with a towering Christmas tree, shopping centers are crowded, 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. Authorities have emphasized the inquiry into their activities is ongoing and the true reason for their stay is remains unknown.

“It is regrettable that legitimate grievances are exploited by extremism. Regrettably, the reputation of savage attacks was unfairly glued to the island's character,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Safety History

Lorenzo is additionally assured that nobody could carry out another act of terror in the city for a long time administered by the political machine of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both famous and controversial – was forged through aggressively securitising Davao through strict anti-crime and drug war initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand searching bags.

The national government has pushed back against suggestions that it was a hub for extremists for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of conflict and marginalization that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are limited in size and degraded.

Police Piece Together Whereabouts

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 initially suggested.

Law enforcement have said they are “not taking lightly” the duo's presence in the country as they map out the actions of the suspects during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Investigators say there are several places the two could have gone to or had meetings in the vicinity. Dozens of outlets sit between the hotel where they stayed and a close by Jollibee, where they were reported to buy their meals.

Detectives are examining security camera video and tracking taxi trips to reconstruct their itinerary, and that every scenario are being considered.

Worries in Marawi Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of intense fighting with extremist groups in 2017, locals are anxious that new associations with terrorism could lead to tighter restrictions and increase bias against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must establish what happened.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intel should provide clear and truthful answers without turning uncertainty into blame against its people or its people,” he said.

Manlupig commended local initiatives in improving 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 political factors that drive the reasons behind the unrest while “continue pushing for acceptance and steer clear of prejudice and division”.