🔗 Share this article

That was the scariest time of his life. During the fall of 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a detonation at the night market in Roxas in Davao City. The IS assault killed 15, among them his wife's brother. A prolonged siege between the military and the militant group in Marawi City followed.

“It won’t take place again in Davao,” Pendon states.

Years later, the specter of IS once more hangs over one of the country's major cities, amidst global attention over the four-week stay in the city of the accused Bondi suspects, Sajid Akram and his son Naveed.

Pendon, who works as a massage therapist at the night market, saw news of Bondi on the television, but like other residents interviewed, felt largely detached.

Even the 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is attempting to put behind him. A monument for the 2016 victims sits in a corner of the night market, looking mismatched against the joyful environment as crowds flocked there for food, massages and trinkets.

Active Investigations Amid Christmas Preparations

Probes regarding the visit to the country of the pair comes as the predominantly Catholic country is preparing for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been decorated with a towering Christmas tree, malls are busy, and children go door-to-door to sing carols.

“It surprised me to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for tourism, not violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Officials have stated the probe into their whereabouts is ongoing and the exact reason for their visit is remains uncertain.

“It is simply regrettable that real concerns are hijacked by terrorism. Regrettably, the reputation of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to the island's character,” stated Karlos Manlupig, executive director of advocacy group Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Policing Legacy

Lorenzo is furthermore confident that no one could perpetrate another terrorist strike in the city long administered by the clan of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both famous and controversial – was built on heavily policing Davao through hardline law and order and drug war campaigns. At one entrance of the night market, at least four personnel stand searching bags.

The national government has rejected claims that it was a terrorist training ground for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a long history of instability and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups still exist, security officials say they are small and weakened.

Investigators Piece Together Activities

What is evident, stated Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two never left the city nor underwent military-style training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Investigators have said they are “not taking lightly” the father and son's presence in the country as they piece together the actions of the pair during their month-long stay in Davao City.

Police say there are several establishments the two could have frequented or met contacts in the neighborhood. Scores of businesses sit between the GV Hotel and a local popular fast food chain, where they were reported to buy their meals.

Officers are analyzing surveillance tapes and following transport records to reconstruct their whereabouts, and that any potential lead are being considered.

Worries in Marawi City Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, residents are worried that renewed accusations of extremism could lead to increased security measures and worsen discrimination against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the university in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must find out what happened.

“[The Akrams’] stay should be properly investigated and the intel should provide clear and truthful answers without turning uncertainty into finger-pointing against its people or its people,” Abdullah said.

Manlupig commended civic actions in improving the peace and order in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism simply disappeared”. He said the country must tackle root causes and governance challenges that fuel the reasons behind the violence while “continue pushing for understanding and avoid bias and polarization”.