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It was the scariest moment of his life. In September 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The Islamic State assault left 15 dead, including his brother-in-law. A lengthy siege between the military and the extremist group in the city of Marawi ensued.

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

Years later, the threat of IS again looms over one of the country's key cities, amid international scrutiny over the four-week stay in the city of the accused Bondi suspects, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who works as a masseur at the night market, learned of Bondi on the television, but as with other locals spoken to, felt predominantly removed.

Even the 2016 bombing is a bad memory he is trying to move on from. A monument for the 2016 victims is placed in a part of the night market, looking out of place amid the festive atmosphere as many people gathered there for meals, massages and goods.

Active Probes Amid Holiday Celebrations

Investigations into the Philippines activities of the pair is happening while the overwhelmingly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been decorated with a towering Christmas tree, malls are packed, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. The government have emphasized the inquiry into their whereabouts is continuing and the precise reason for their visit is still unknown.

“It is unfortunate that legitimate grievances are exploited by terrorism. Sadly, the reputation of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to the region's image,” said Karlos Manlupig, executive director of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Safety Record

Lorenzo is furthermore certain that nobody could carry out another act of terror in the city long ruled by the family of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both notable and controversial – was built on heavily policing Davao through strict anti-crime and anti-drug campaigns. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four guards stand checking bags.

The national government has denied allegations that it was a terrorist training ground for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Islamic independence movements form alliances with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are limited in size and diminished.

Authorities Reconstruct Activities

What is evident, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two never left the city nor underwent weapons training in the country, as was initially suggested.

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

Police say there are many places the two could have frequented or had meetings in the neighborhood. Scores of outlets sit between the hotel where they stayed and a nearby popular fast food chain, where they were understood to buy their meals.

Officers are examining security camera video and tracking transport records to piece together their whereabouts, and that every scenario are being considered.

Fears in Marawi City Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with extremist groups in 2017, inhabitants are anxious that new terrorist labels could lead to increased security measures and deepen discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the institution in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must determine what happened.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be thoroughly examined and the intelligence should provide accurate and honest answers without converting questions into finger-pointing against Mindanao or its people,” he said.

Manlupig commended community efforts in strengthening the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “it is not true that radicalism simply disappeared”. He said the country must address root causes and political factors that motivate the reasons behind the unrest while “continue pushing for tolerance and avoid prejudice and polarization”.