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That was the scariest moment of his existence. During September 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a detonation at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The ISIS attack left 15 dead, including his wife's brother. A lengthy battle between the military and the jihadist group in Marawi came after.

“It cannot take place again in Davao,” Pendon says.

Nearly a decade later, the threat of IS reappears over one of the country's largest cities, amidst international scrutiny over the month-long stay in the city of the alleged Bondi suspects, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.

Pendon, who works as a massage therapist at the night market, learned of the attack on the television, but as with other residents surveyed, felt mostly detached.

The 2016 blast is a bad memory he is attempting to put behind him. A remembrance marker for the 2016 victims stands in a corner of the night market, seeming mismatched amid the festive mood as many people gathered there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Ongoing Probes Amid Holiday Cheer

Investigations into the time in the Philippines of the pair is happening while the mostly Catholic country is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, malls are crowded, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“It surprised me 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. Authorities have emphasized the probe into their actions is ongoing and the exact reason for their stay is as yet unknown.

“It is simply a shame that real concerns are co-opted by radicalism. Regrettably, the narrative of savage attacks was unfairly glued to the island's identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Policing Record

Lorenzo is also confident that no one could execute another terrorist strike in the city historically administered by the clan of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both famous and controversial – was established by aggressively securitising Davao through strict anti-crime and drug war initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand checking bags.

The authorities has rejected allegations that it was a base for militant training for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Islamic independence movements form alliances with overseas extremist organizations. But while IS-linked groups still exist, authorities say they are small and weakened.

Investigators Piece Together Whereabouts

What is certain, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two stayed within the city nor underwent military-style training in the country, as was initially suggested.

Police have said they are “taking seriously” the duo's stay in the country as they map out the actions of the pair during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are numerous locations the two could have gone to or connected with associates in the vicinity. Scores of outlets sit between the their accommodation and a nearby popular fast food chain, where they were reported to buy their food.

Detectives are analyzing surveillance tapes and tracking cab rides to reconstruct their itinerary, and that all possibilities are being entertained.

Worries in Marawi City Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with extremist groups in 2017, inhabitants are concerned that new accusations of extremism could lead to tighter restrictions and deepen prejudice against Muslims.

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

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the intel should provide accurate and honest answers without transforming doubt into accusations against its people or its people,” he said.

Manlupig commended civic actions in improving the safety conditions in Davao City but he said “this doesn’t mean that terrorism was eradicated”. He said the country must confront root causes and political factors that fuel the impulses behind the unrest while “keep advocating for acceptance and steer clear of prejudice and polarization”.