Troubling Remembrances Reemerge in Davao as Investigators Piece Together Bondi Beach Shooting Suspects’ Activities

It was the most terrifying moment of his life. Back in 2016, Gerry Pendon was just five meters away from a bomb explosion at the Roxas evening bazaar in Davao City. The Islamic State attack claimed 15 lives, among them his wife's brother. A five-month conflict between the armed forces and the militant group in the city of Marawi followed.

Nearly a decade later, the shadow of IS again looms over one of the nation's largest cities, amid 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, saw news of Bondi on the television, but as with other citizens surveyed, felt predominantly disconnected.

The 2016 bombing is a traumatic event he is working to forget. A monument for the 2016 victims stands in a part of the night market, looking mismatched amidst the festive environment as hundreds came there for meals, massages and goods.

Current Inquiries Amid Christmas Preparations

Probes regarding the Philippines activities of the pair coincides with the mostly Catholic nation is getting ready for Christmas. Davao’s government center has been lit up by a towering Christmas tree, shopping centers are busy, and children knock on doors to perform Christmas songs.

“I was surprised to see [the Akrams] in the news. But they were here for sightseeing, not terrorism,” says Emelyn Lorenzo, another a massage therapist at the market. The government have emphasized the inquiry into their actions is ongoing and the exact reason for their trip is as yet unknown.

Faith in Policing History

Lorenzo is furthermore certain that no one could execute another terror attack in the city historically governed by the political machine of past leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose reputation – both renowned and infamous – was established by aggressively securitising Davao through tough anti-crime and anti-drug initiatives. At one entrance of the night market, at minimum four officers stand searching bags.

The Philippine government has pushed back against claims that it was a base for militant training for the alleged Bondi shooters. The country has a complicated background of unrest and disenfranchisement that has seen some Muslim separatist groups forge ties with international jihadist groups. But while IS-linked groups still exist, experts say they are small and weakened.

Investigators Piece Together Movements

What is certain, said Eduardo Año, the Philippines’ national security adviser, is the two did not leave the city nor obtained military-style training in the country, as was earlier claimed.

Investigators have said they are “not taking lightly” the pair’s visit in the country as they piece together the actions of the father and son during their four-week stay in Davao City.

Authorities say there are many establishments the two could have visited or had meetings in the neighborhood. Many of businesses sit between the hotel where they stayed and a nearby restaurant, where they were known to buy their meals.

Police are examining security camera video and following transport records to establish their whereabouts, and that every scenario are being considered.

Fears in Marawi City Over Labels

In Marawi, the site of a major conflict with Islamic State affiliates in 2017, residents are worried that new terrorist labels could lead to heightened securitisation and worsen prejudice against Muslims.

Tirmizy Abdullah, a faculty member at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City, said the Philippine investigative bodies must establish what transpired.

Manlupig lauded local initiatives in enhancing the peace and order in Davao City but he said “that does not imply that radicalism magically vanished”. He said the country must tackle root causes and governance challenges that fuel the impulses behind the conflict while “persist in promoting tolerance and avoid prejudice and sectarianism”.