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That was the most frightening moment of his life. Back in September 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five metres away from a detonation at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The ISIS attack claimed 15 lives, among them his brother-in-law. A lengthy siege between the armed forces and the extremist group in the city of Marawi followed.

“It won’t occur again in Davao,” Pendon says.

Nine years later, the specter of IS again looms over one of the country's major cities, amid international scrutiny over the 28-day stay in the city of the accused Bondi attackers, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who works as a massage therapist at the night market, heard about Bondi on the news, but similar to other residents interviewed, felt mostly disconnected.

Even the 2016 blast is a traumatic event he is working to forget. A remembrance marker for the 2016 deaths stands in a section of the night market, seeming incongruous amid the joyful mood as crowds flocked there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Active Inquiries Amid Festive Celebrations

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the father and son coincides with the mostly Catholic nation is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, malls are crowded, 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 terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Officials have made clear the probe into their activities is active and the exact reason for their trip is as yet uncertain.

“It is regrettable that valid issues are co-opted by extremism. Regrettably, the reputation of extreme conflict was incorrectly tied to Mindanao’s character,” said Karlos Manlupig, leader of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Security Legacy

Lorenzo is additionally confident that nobody could carry out another terror attack in the city historically administered by the clan of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both notable and notorious – was built on aggressively securitising Davao through strict law and order and anti-drug initiatives. At an entrance of the night market, at least four guards stand searching bags.

The authorities has denied claims that it was a hub for extremists for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of conflict and marginalization that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups remain present, authorities say they are limited in size and diminished.

Authorities Piece Together Whereabouts

What is clear, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two did not leave the city nor underwent combat training in the country, as was previously alleged.

Police have said they are “taking seriously” the father and son's visit in the country as they map out the movements of the pair during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Investigators say there are numerous locations the two could have visited or met contacts in the area. Scores of establishments sit between the their accommodation and a local popular fast food chain, where they were understood to buy their meals.

Officers are analyzing CCTV footage and tracking transport records to reconstruct their movements, and that any potential lead are being considered.

Worries in Marawi City Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with extremist groups in 2017, inhabitants are anxious that fresh terrorist labels could lead to tighter restrictions and increase bias against Muslims.

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

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

Manlupig praised local initiatives in strengthening the security situation in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism magically vanished”. He said the country must confront economic and social issues and political factors that drive the reasons behind the conflict while “keep advocating for understanding and steer clear of bias and polarization”.