Exclusive details can be revealed about the month-long stay in the Philippines of the two men accused of carrying out the deadly Bondi Beach terror attack. Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, spent four weeks in a shabby, one-star hotel in a notorious red-light district before allegedly killing 15 people at a Hanukkah event in Sydney.
The Budget Hotel 'Lair' in Davao City
The pair travelled from Sydney to Manila on November 1, 2025, before taking an internal flight to Davao City, the Philippines' second-largest city. They checked into the GV Hotel around noon that day, booking a cramped twin room costing just £11 per night. Hotel staff described room 315 on the third floor as their 'lair', where they remained for almost the entire stay until November 28.
The sparsely furnished room contained two single beds, an old television, and an en-suite bathroom. Staff reported the men lived on takeaways, with cleaners regularly removing fast-food wrappers. Jenelyn Sayson, a hotel employee, stated they 'arrived with one big piece of luggage and a backpack each' and were notably reclusive, unlike other guests.
'We thought they probably had business here in the city since they would go out and just come back again,' Sayson said. 'The longest that they would be outside would be around an hour.' Their only known excursion was an unsuccessful trip to find durian fruit after asking staff for directions.
A District of Neon and Coincidence
The GV Hotel is situated in Davao's Poblacion District, an area filled with neon-lit massage parlours, 'bikini bars', and go-go bars frequented by western sex tourists. Directly opposite the hotel is the 'Spring Valley' spa, advertising a 'happy hour' from 10am to 5pm. Just yards away sits the 'Ladiestar' bar, offering karaoke and 'massage' services.
In a poignant coincidence, a short walk from the hotel is a cocktail bar and restaurant named Bondi & Bourke, after the famous Sydney beach where the attack would later occur. The downmarket district features strip clubs with private rooms available to rent for approximately £25.
Investigations and Conflicting Theories
Security experts have speculated the Akrams may have travelled to the region for military-style training. Davao City is a five-hour drive from the Islamic city of Marawi, where ISIS sympathisers have waged a decade-long insurgency against the government. Marawi is considered a no-go zone, with the Filipino government issuing a severe travel warning.
However, Philippines authorities have strongly refuted claims the pair undertook terror training. Armed forces spokesperson Col Francel Margareth Padilla stated: 'From the field units, the data states that there are no foreign terrorist activities in the area. There are no trainings that are being conducted.'
National security advisor Eduardo Año confirmed the dates of travel, noting Sajid Akram used an Indian passport and his son an Australian passport. Authorities found no documents or evidence when searching the hotel room. Detectives are now tracing the men's credit cards and local SIM cards to map their precise movements.
Following the Sunday attack, Australian police uncovered two homemade ISIS flags and two bombs in Naveed Akram's vehicle. Sajid Akram was shot dead at the scene, while Naveed, a bricklayer, survived and has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. New South Wales police confirmed the Philippines trip but said the reason remains unknown.
