🔗 Share this article

This was the most terrifying time of his existence. In 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five meters away from a detonation at the night market in Roxas in Davao City. The IS strike killed 15, including his wife's brother. A prolonged siege between the military and the jihadist group in Marawi City followed.

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

Nine years later, the shadow of IS again looms over one of the nation's key cities, amid international scrutiny over the four-week stay in the city of the suspected Bondi suspects, the Akrams, father and son.

Pendon, who works as a massage technician at the night market, learned of the Bondi incident on the news, but as with other locals interviewed, felt mostly detached.

Even the 2016 blast is a bad memory he is trying to move on from. A memorial for the 2016 fatalities is placed in a section of the night market, appearing mismatched amidst the festive environment as many people gathered there for meals, massages and souvenirs.

Current Probes Amid Christmas Celebrations

Probes regarding the Philippines activities of the father and son comes as the mostly Catholic country is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s government center has been adorned with a large 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. The government have made clear the inquiry into their actions is ongoing and the exact reason for their visit is as yet uncertain.

“It is simply a shame that real concerns are hijacked by terrorism. Sadly, the reputation of brutal violence was unfairly glued to the island's identity,” noted Karlos Manlupig, leader of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.

Faith in Policing History

Lorenzo is furthermore certain that no one could carry out another terror attack in the city historically ruled by the family of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both notable and infamous – was forged through heavily policing Davao through strict law and order and anti-drug policies. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four guards stand checking bags.

The national government has pushed back against suggestions that it was a hub for extremists for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a extensive past of unrest and marginalisation that has seen some Muslim separatist groups establish links with global terrorist networks. But while IS-linked groups persist, experts say they are small and diminished.

Police Trace Whereabouts

What is certain, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two never left the city nor underwent weapons training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

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

Police say there are many places the two could have gone to or had meetings in the area. Many of businesses sit between the GV Hotel and a nearby restaurant, where they were reported to buy their food.

Police are analyzing surveillance tapes and tracking cab rides to establish their movements, and that any potential lead are being entertained.

Concerns in the Region Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of intense fighting with extremist groups in 2017, locals are anxious that fresh 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 took place.

“[The Akrams’] visit should be carefully probed and the information should provide accurate and honest answers without converting questions into finger-pointing against the region or its people,” Andullah said.

Manlupig commended local initiatives in improving the security situation in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that terrorism simply disappeared”. He said the country must address socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that drive the motivations behind the conflict while “continue pushing for acceptance and steer clear of prejudice and sectarianism”.