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It was the scariest time of his life. Back in September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five meters away from a blast at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The IS assault left 15 dead, among them his brother-in-law. A lengthy siege between the military and the militant group in Marawi followed.

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

Nearly a decade later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the Philippines’ major cities, amid international scrutiny over the four-week stay in the city of the accused Bondi beach shooters, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who works as a massage technician at the night market, learned of the attack on the media, but as with other locals surveyed, felt mostly detached.

The 2016 attack is a painful recollection he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 fatalities is placed in a part of the night market, appearing mismatched amid the joyful atmosphere as crowds flocked there for food, massages and trinkets.

Ongoing Investigations Amid Christmas Cheer

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the pair is happening while the predominantly Catholic country is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s government center has been lit up by a large Christmas tree, malls are crowded, and children go door-to-door to sing carols.

“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have made clear the inquiry into their activities is continuing and the true reason for their visit is still unknown.

“It is simply regrettable that valid issues are co-opted by extremism. Sadly, the story of savage attacks was unfairly glued to Mindanao’s identity,” said Karlos Manlupig, head of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Faith in Safety History

Lorenzo is also assured that no one could execute another terror attack in the city historically ruled by the political machine of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both notable and notorious – was built on aggressively securitising Davao through strict anti-crime and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four guards stand checking bags.

The national government has denied claims that it was a terrorist training ground for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with overseas extremist organizations. But while IS-linked groups still exist, authorities say they are limited in size and diminished.

Police Trace Movements

What is clear, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor received combat training in the country, as was previously alleged.

Law enforcement have said they are “taking seriously” the duo's stay in the country as they reconstruct the movements of the pair during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Investigators say there are numerous establishments the two could have gone to or met contacts in the vicinity. Dozens of outlets sit between the GV Hotel and a nearby popular fast food chain, where they were known to buy their meals.

Police are reviewing CCTV footage and following transport records to establish their itinerary, and that any potential lead are being explored.

Worries in the Region Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with extremist groups in 2017, locals are anxious that new associations with terrorism could lead to tighter restrictions and worsen discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine intelligence community must find out what took place.

“[The Akrams’] time here should be carefully probed and the intelligence should provide transparent and factual answers without turning uncertainty into blame against the region 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 extremism simply disappeared”. He said the country must confront economic and social issues and political factors that fuel the impulses behind the conflict while “persist in promoting understanding and prevent prejudice and polarization”.