DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 December) — Sajid Akram and his son Naveed, the Bondi Beach shooters, stayed at a hotel along Magallanes Street in downtown Davao City from November 1 to 28, mostly remaining in their rooms, according to hotel staff. Jenelyn Sayson of GV Hotel told MindaNews that the father and son arrived at noon on November 1 and rarely stayed outside for more than an hour during their stay. Every day, staff observed them passing through the lobby when going out or returning. Malacañang has dismissed claims labeling the Philippines as an ISIS training hotspot, with Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro stating there is no verified report linking the Bondi Beach incident to training in the Philippines. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed the Akrams were in the Philippines and left Davao for Sydney via Manila on November 28. On December 14, they carried out a shooting rampage in Bondi Beach, Sydney, killing 15 people. Police guarded the hotel on Wednesday, December 17, questioning staff and reviewing CCTV footage, though only a week’s worth of recordings were available. Staff reported that police found nothing in the room the Akrams occupied. The father and son mainly left fast-food trash like Jollibee, with no documents or personal items left behind. They originally booked for seven days, extending their stay weekly in cash until checking out on November 28. Sayson noted they each had large luggage and backpacks, kept to themselves, and never interacted with other guests or visitors. Naveed once asked about buying durian but returned empty-handed. Staff found nothing unusual about their behavior, assuming they were in the city for business. Sayson recognized the Akrams from news reports, noting Naveed had a shorter haircut compared to his time at the hotel. (Manman Dejeto / MindaNews)
