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That was the most frightening moment of his existence. In the fall of 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The ISIS assault claimed 15 lives, among them his wife's brother. A lengthy battle between the military and the militant group in Marawi came after.

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

Years later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the country's key cities, amidst worldwide focus over the month-long stay in the city of the suspected Bondi beach shooters, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who makes a living as a massage technician at the night market, saw news of the attack on the news, but similar to other locals surveyed, felt largely disconnected.

Even the 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is trying to move on from. A monument for the 2016 fatalities is placed in a section of the night market, seeming mismatched amid the festive environment as crowds flocked there for food, massages and goods.

Active Investigations Amid Festive Celebrations

Examinations of the visit to the country of the father and son coincides with the predominantly Catholic country is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been adorned with a tall Christmas tree, malls are packed, and children go door-to-door to sing carols.

“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 made clear the probe into their activities is ongoing and the precise reason for their visit is still unclear.

“It is simply regrettable that legitimate grievances are hijacked by extremism. Regrettably, the reputation of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to Mindanao’s identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of peace-building NGO Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Safety Record

Lorenzo is furthermore certain that no one could carry out another terror attack in the city historically governed by the political machine of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both famous and controversial – was forged through aggressively securitising Davao through tough law and order and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand searching bags.

The authorities has denied claims that it was a terrorist training ground for the accused Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of unrest and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups establish links with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are limited in size and degraded.

Investigators Trace Movements

What is clear, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two stayed within the city nor received weapons training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Investigators have said they are “not taking lightly” the duo's stay in the country as they map out the activities of the suspects during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are several places the two could have frequented or met contacts in the area. Many of businesses sit between the GV Hotel and a nearby restaurant, where they were known to buy their food.

Detectives are examining security camera video and tracing transport records to establish their movements, and that all possibilities are being explored.

Concerns in Marawi Over Bias

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with IS-linked militants in 2017, residents are anxious that renewed accusations of extremism could lead to heightened securitisation and increase prejudice against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the university in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must find out what transpired.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intelligence should provide accurate and honest answers without transforming doubt into finger-pointing against its people or its people,” Andullah said.

Manlupig praised local initiatives in strengthening the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that extremism magically vanished”. He said the country must tackle socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that drive the impulses behind the violence while “keep advocating for understanding and avoid bias and polarization”.