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It was the scariest moment of his life. During September 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five meters away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The ISIS assault killed 15, among them his wife's brother. A five-month battle between the armed forces and the jihadist group in Marawi City ensued.

“It cannot happen again in Davao,” Pendon states.

Nearly a decade later, the shadow of IS again looms over one of the Philippines’ largest cities, during worldwide focus over the four-week stay in the city of the alleged Bondi suspects, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who makes a living as a masseur at the night market, heard about the attack on the television, but as with other locals surveyed, felt predominantly detached.

Even the 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is working to forget. A monument for the 2016 fatalities stands in a section of the night market, seeming mismatched against the joyful environment as crowds flocked there for food, massages and goods.

Current Inquiries Amid Holiday Celebrations

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the father and son comes as the predominantly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, shopping centers are packed, and children go door-to-door to perform Christmas songs.

“It surprised me to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for tourism, not extremism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. The government have made clear the probe into their whereabouts is active and the precise reason for their visit is still unclear.

“It is regrettable that real concerns are hijacked by extremism. Sadly, the reputation of brutal violence was wrongly attached to the region's identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of advocacy group Balay Mindanao.

Faith in Policing Record

Lorenzo is additionally confident that nobody could execute another terror attack in the city historically governed by the political machine of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both famous and infamous – was built on tightly securing Davao through strict anti-crime and drug war campaigns. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand checking bags.

The authorities has rejected allegations that it was a hub for extremists for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups still exist, authorities say they are limited in size and weakened.

Police Reconstruct Whereabouts

What is clear, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor obtained combat training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Law enforcement have said they are “taking seriously” the father and son's presence in the country as they reconstruct the activities of the suspects during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are numerous places the two could have frequented or connected with associates in the vicinity. Dozens of establishments sit between the hotel where they stayed and a local restaurant, where they were known to buy their meals.

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

Fears in the Region Over Bias

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, inhabitants are worried that fresh accusations of extremism could lead to heightened securitisation and worsen bias against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a professor at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine investigative bodies must establish what happened.

“[The Akrams’] time here should be properly investigated and the intel should provide accurate and honest answers without turning uncertainty into accusations against the region or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig lauded civic actions in improving the security situation in Davao City but he said “it is not true that terrorism was eradicated”. He said the country must tackle root causes and governance challenges that fuel the motivations behind the violence while “keep advocating for understanding and avoid prejudice and polarization”.