🔗 Share this article

It was the most frightening experience of his life. During 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five metres away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas night market in Davao City. The ISIS assault killed 15, including his brother-in-law. A five-month siege between the military and the extremist group in Marawi City ensued.

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

Nine years later, the threat of IS reappears over one of the nation's major cities, during global attention over the month-long stay in the city of the suspected Bondi attackers, the Akrams, father and son.

Pendon, who is a a massage technician at the night market, heard about Bondi on the media, but like other locals interviewed, felt largely detached.

Even the 2016 blast is a traumatic event he is trying to move on from. A memorial for the 2016 victims is placed in a section of the night market, looking incongruous amidst the festive atmosphere as many people flocked there for food, massages and souvenirs.

Ongoing Inquiries Amid Festive Preparations

Examinations of the visit to the country of the duo coincides with the mostly Catholic nation is gearing up for Christmas. Davao’s municipal hall has been decorated with a large Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children knock on doors to perform Christmas songs.

“I was taken aback to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for travel, not violence,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, also a massage therapist at the market. Authorities have emphasized the probe into their actions is continuing and the precise reason for their trip is still uncertain.

“It is simply unfortunate that real concerns are exploited by terrorism. Sadly, the narrative of extreme conflict was unfairly glued to Mindanao’s image,” stated Karlos Manlupig, executive director of advocacy group Balay Mindanao.

Trust in Policing History

Lorenzo is furthermore confident that no one could execute another terrorist strike in the city for a long time governed by the clan of former president Rodrigo Duterte, whose legacy – both famous and controversial – was built on aggressively securitising Davao through tough law and order and drug war initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four personnel stand checking bags.

The authorities has pushed back against claims that it was a base for militant training for the suspected Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of instability and disenfranchisement that has seen some local militant factions forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups remain present, experts say they are small and weakened.

Authorities Trace Whereabouts

What is evident, commented Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ top security official, is the two stayed within the city nor obtained combat training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Law enforcement have said they are “treating with gravity” the duo's stay in the country as they reconstruct the movements of the suspects during their four-week stay in Davao City.

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

Detectives are analyzing CCTV footage and tracing taxi trips to establish their itinerary, and that every scenario are being entertained.

Concerns in Marawi Over Stigma

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, locals are anxious that renewed terrorist labels could lead to tighter restrictions and deepen bias against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a academic at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine security agencies must determine what happened.

“[The Akrams’] time here should be thoroughly examined and the intelligence should provide transparent and factual answers without transforming doubt into finger-pointing against its people or its people,” he said.

Manlupig lauded local initiatives in strengthening the peace and order in Davao City but he said “it is not true that radicalism was eradicated”. He said the country must address socioeconomic factors and governance challenges that drive the reasons behind the conflict while “continue pushing for acceptance and steer clear of discrimination and polarization”.