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This was the scariest time of his life. During September 2016, Gerry Pendon was only five meters away from a blast at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The ISIS attack claimed 15 lives, among them his wife's brother. A prolonged conflict between the military and the militant group in Marawi City followed.

“It won’t happen again in Davao,” Pendon asserts.

Years later, the threat of IS once more hangs over one of the country's largest cities, amidst global attention over the four-week stay in the city of the alleged Bondi attackers, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who is a a massage technician at the night market, heard about the attack on the media, but similar to other residents interviewed, felt mostly detached.

Even the 2016 attack is a painful recollection he is working to forget. A remembrance marker for the 2016 victims stands in a part of the night market, seeming out of place against the celebratory mood as crowds flocked there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Current Probes Amid Holiday Celebrations

Investigations into the Philippines activities of the father and son comes as the mostly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s government center has been decorated with a large Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children go door-to-door to perform Christmas songs.

“I was taken aback 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. The government have stated the probe into their actions is active and the exact reason for their trip is still uncertain.

“It is regrettable that valid issues are co-opted by terrorism. Sadly, the narrative of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to the region's image,” said Karlos Manlupig, leader of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Security History

Lorenzo is also assured that nobody could perpetrate another terror attack in the city long ruled by the clan of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both renowned and infamous – was built on tightly securing Davao through hardline law and order and drug war campaigns. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand checking bags.

The national government has pushed back against suggestions that it was a terrorist training ground for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of unrest and marginalization that has seen some local militant factions form alliances with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups remain present, authorities say they are small and weakened.

Investigators Piece Together Activities

What is certain, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two did not leave the city nor received weapons training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Investigators have said they are “not taking lightly” the pair’s visit in the country as they map out the actions of the pair during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Investigators say there are several establishments 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 local popular fast food chain, where they were known to buy their meals.

Detectives are examining CCTV footage and following transport records to piece together their whereabouts, and that every scenario are being explored.

Concerns in Marawi City Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, inhabitants are anxious that new terrorist labels could lead to heightened securitisation and deepen prejudice against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must find out what took place.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be properly investigated and the intelligence should provide transparent and factual answers without turning uncertainty into blame against Mindanao or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig praised civic actions in enhancing the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism simply disappeared”. He said the country must confront economic and social issues and governance challenges that drive the reasons behind the violence while “keep advocating for tolerance and prevent discrimination and sectarianism”.