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That was the most frightening moment of his life. Back in the fall of 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a detonation at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The IS assault killed 15, among them his wife's brother. A prolonged conflict between the military and the extremist group in Marawi ensued.

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

Nine years later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the Philippines’ key cities, during global attention over the month-long stay in the city of the alleged Bondi attackers, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who makes a living as a masseur at the night market, learned of Bondi on the television, but as with other citizens surveyed, felt largely removed.

The 2016 attack is a traumatic event he is attempting to put behind him. A remembrance marker for the 2016 victims stands in a section of the night market, looking mismatched amid the celebratory mood as many people flocked there for meals, massages and souvenirs.

Ongoing Investigations Amid Holiday Cheer

Examinations of the Philippines activities of the father and son coincides with the mostly Catholic nation is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, malls are busy, and children go door-to-door to perform Christmas songs.

“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for travel, not extremism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. The government have emphasized the probe into their whereabouts is active and the true reason for their stay is still unclear.

“It is simply unfortunate that legitimate grievances are exploited by extremism. Unfortunately, the narrative of extreme conflict was wrongly attached to the island's character,” said Karlos Manlupig, leader of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Faith in Safety Legacy

Lorenzo is additionally confident that nobody could perpetrate another terrorist strike in the city historically administered by the political machine of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both famous and controversial – was established by heavily policing Davao through hardline law and order and drug war initiatives. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand searching bags.

The authorities has pushed back against allegations that it was a base for militant training for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and marginalization that has seen some Islamic independence movements forge ties with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups remain present, experts say they are limited in size and diminished.

Investigators Piece Together Whereabouts

What is evident, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor obtained military-style training in the country, as was initially suggested.

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

Police say there are numerous establishments the two could have frequented or met contacts in the area. Scores of establishments sit between the hotel where they stayed and a close by restaurant, where they were understood to buy their food.

Officers are analyzing security camera video and tracking cab rides to piece together their whereabouts, and that every scenario are being considered.

Concerns in Marawi City Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with IS-linked militants in 2017, residents are anxious that renewed terrorist labels could lead to increased security measures and worsen bias against Muslims.

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

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

Manlupig lauded civic actions in strengthening the security situation in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that extremism simply disappeared”. He said the country must tackle economic and social issues and governance challenges that motivate the reasons behind the conflict while “persist in promoting acceptance and prevent bias and sectarianism”.