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It was the most frightening moment of his life. Back in September 2016, Gerry Pendon was only five meters away from a blast at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The Islamic State strike left 15 dead, including his wife's brother. A five-month siege between the armed forces and the militant group in the city of Marawi followed.

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

Years later, the specter of IS reappears over one of the Philippines’ key cities, amidst global attention over the four-week stay in the city of the accused Bondi attackers, the Akrams, father and son.

Pendon, who is a a massage therapist at the night market, saw news of the Bondi incident on the media, but similar to other residents surveyed, felt predominantly detached.

Even the 2016 blast is a traumatic event he is trying to move on from. A remembrance marker for the 2016 fatalities stands in a corner of the night market, seeming out of place amid the joyful mood as crowds gathered there for meals, massages and trinkets.

Active Inquiries Amid Christmas Cheer

Examinations of the Philippines activities of the duo is happening while the mostly Catholic nation is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been decorated with a tall Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children knock on doors to sing carols.

“It surprised me 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 stated the investigation into their activities is active and the exact reason for their stay is remains uncertain.

“It is regrettable that real concerns are exploited by radicalism. Regrettably, the narrative of brutal violence was wrongly attached to the region's character,” said Karlos Manlupig, executive director of advocacy group Balay Mindanao.

Confidence in Safety Record

Lorenzo is also certain that no one could carry out another terror attack in the city long governed by the family of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both famous and controversial – was forged through tightly securing Davao through strict law and order and drug war policies. At an entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand inspecting bags.

The authorities has pushed back against suggestions that it was a hub for extremists for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of conflict and marginalisation that has seen some local militant factions forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups still exist, experts say they are small and weakened.

Authorities Piece Together Movements

What is clear, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two did not leave the city nor received weapons training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Police have said they are “treating with gravity” the father and son's visit 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 establishments the two could have visited or had meetings in the area. Many of establishments sit between the hotel where they stayed and a nearby popular fast food chain, where they were understood to buy their food.

Police are examining surveillance tapes and following taxi trips to reconstruct their movements, and that any potential lead are being considered.

Worries in Marawi City Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with IS-linked militants in 2017, inhabitants are worried that renewed associations with terrorism could lead to tighter restrictions and deepen bias against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the university in Marawi City, said the Philippine intelligence community must establish what took place.

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

Manlupig commended community efforts in strengthening the peace and order in Davao City but he said “this doesn’t mean that extremism magically vanished”. He said the country must address root causes and governance challenges that motivate the impulses behind the violence while “keep advocating for understanding and avoid prejudice and division”.