It was the most frightening time of his life. In 2016, Gerry Pendon was a mere five meters away from a detonation at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The IS strike killed 15, among them his brother-in-law. A five-month conflict between the armed forces and the extremist group in Marawi City followed.
“It won’t occur again in Davao,” Pendon states.
Nine years later, the shadow of IS once more hangs over one of the country's key cities, during worldwide focus over the 28-day stay in the city of the suspected Bondi suspects, a father and son, Sajid and Naveed Akram.
Pendon, who is a a massage therapist at the night market, learned of the Bondi incident on the television, but similar to other citizens spoken to, felt predominantly detached.
Even the 2016 blast is a bad memory he is attempting to put behind him. A remembrance marker for the 2016 victims is placed in a corner of the night market, seeming mismatched amidst the festive environment as crowds flocked there for food, massages and trinkets.
Probes regarding the visit to the country of the pair comes as the overwhelmingly Catholic country is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s city hall has been adorned with a tall Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children go door-to-door to perform Christmas songs.
“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not extremism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. The government have emphasized the probe into their actions is active and the precise reason for their stay is remains unknown.
“It is simply regrettable that valid issues are hijacked by terrorism. Unfortunately, the narrative of brutal violence was incorrectly tied to Mindanao’s image,” said Karlos Manlupig, executive director of non-governmental organization Balay Mindanao.
Lorenzo is additionally confident that nobody could perpetrate another terror attack in the city historically ruled by the political machine of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, whose name – both renowned and controversial – was established by aggressively securitising Davao through hardline anti-crime and anti-drug initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand searching bags.
The authorities has rejected allegations that it was a hub for extremists for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of conflict and marginalisation that has seen some Islamic independence movements forge ties with overseas extremist organizations. But while IS-linked groups remain present, security officials say they are limited in size and degraded.
What is certain, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two never left the city nor received combat training in the country, as was earlier claimed.
Investigators have said they are “not taking lightly” the pair’s presence in the country as they piece together the movements of the father and son during their four-week stay in Davao City.
Authorities say there are several establishments the two could have frequented or had meetings in the vicinity. Scores of businesses sit between the their accommodation and a close by restaurant, where they were known to buy their meals.
Police are analyzing security camera video and following taxi trips to piece together their itinerary, and that any potential lead are being considered.
In Marawi, the site of fierce battles with extremist groups in 2017, inhabitants are concerned that new accusations of extremism could lead to heightened securitisation and increase discrimination against Muslims.
Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine investigative bodies must find out what took place.
“[The Akrams’] time here should be properly investigated and the intelligence should provide transparent and factual answers without converting questions into accusations against its people or its people,” Andullah said.
Manlupig praised community efforts in improving the security situation in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that extremism was eradicated”. He said the country must tackle root causes and governance challenges that fuel the impulses behind the conflict while “keep advocating for tolerance and prevent prejudice and division”.
