From a swim at an idyllic beach resort to browsing bulletproof vests at a ‘guns and ammo’ shop: Inside the Philippines trip of the alleged Bondi Beach gunmen

New details have emerged about Sajid and Naveed Akram’s month-long trip to the Philippines weeks before the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

Naveed Akram, 24, travelled to the archipelago nation in November with his father Sajid, 50, one month before they allegedly opened fire at a Hanukkah by the Sea event at Bondi Beach, killing 15 and injuring dozens more.

While it has been reported that the Akrams stayed at the budget GV Hotel in Davao City on the Mindanao island for their 27-day stay, it was previously thought they barely left their tiny, cramped $24-a-night room.

It has since emerged that the alleged gunmen visited a popular beach resort and a nearby gun shop, along with an Islamic prayer house near Davao City in the nation’s south, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

A ping from one of their mobiles suggests they could have journeyed even further afield, to the village of Dungoan, which has a history of Islamic state extremism.

According to sightings of the pair, Naveed took a morning dip at the picturesque Seagull White Sand Beach Resort, known for its clear blue waters and party reputation.

His father Sajid inspected bullet-proof vests at a small weapons retailer, Shooters Guns & Ammo Corporation, located 150m away, where he refused to acknowledge a female staffer’s offer of assistance.   

The Seagull White Sand Beach Resort lies 7km from the GV Hotel and as its name suggests, is located on white sands fringed with palm trees.

The father, Sajid, browsed bulletproof vests and gun posters at the Shooters Guns & Ammo Corporation at Davao City (above), a branch of the largest retail arms company in the Philippines

Naveed and his father Sajid (white trousers) on the early evening of December 14, two weeks after returning from their trip to the southern Philippines

The resort is a mecca for holidaymakers interested in water sports such as snorkelling, scuba diving and jet skiing.

Witnesses told the Sydney Morning Herald that either Naveed, or both Akrams took a swim around 10am one morning after being dropped off by a taxi.

‘I was told they went for a swim in the morning, about 10am,’ a lifeguard recalled.

A security guard at the venue recalled only seeing a hot and sweaty Naveed being dropped off by a taxi.

The Shooters Guns & Ammo Corporation in Davao City is a branch of the largest retail arms company in the Philippines.

A staff member recalled seeing Sajid in the weapons store studying gun posters on the wall and cabinets full of protective gear, including bulletproof vests.

The visit stuck with her because he refused to acknowledge her when she asked if he needed assistance.

The pair also allegedly visited the Mercy Islamic Foundation in Davao City, which hosts large Friday prayer sessions, offers Da’wah (Islamic) training and boasts free circumcision programs on its Facebook page.

NSW Police are still investigating the movements of Sajid Akram (above, in target training in NSW) and son Naveed in the lead-up to the mass shooting at Bondi Beach

Naveed was observed to go for a swim at the Seagull resort (above) in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao

Its leaders have handed over hours of CCTV footage to police but insist they don’t recall seeing the pair.

Davao City is on the island of Mindanao, which is known as a magnet for Muslim terrorist groups, although Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr claimed post-Bondi attack this was a thing of the past.

‘For years, we have acted decisively to dismantle terrorist networks, to secure communities and to sustain our hard-earned peace,’ he said after the Akrams’ Mindanao visit was revealed following the December 14 terrorist attack.

Marcos said reports the alleged shooters received weapons training or radical teachings in Mindanao leading up to the attack, was ‘unfounded speculation’ and ‘not acceptable’.

Naveed and Sajid Akram departed the Philippines on November 28, where they caught a connecting flight from Davao to the nation’s capital Manila, before flying to Sydney.

Father and son also reportedly visited  Mercy Islamic Foundation in Davao City (left), which hosts large Friday prayer sessions. Naveed Akram (right) pictured firing a rifle

Sixteen days later, at 6.42pm on Sunday, December 14, police allege, they opened fire on the crowd at Archer Park, Bondi attending the Chabad Synagogue’s Hanukkah celebration of the first day of the Jewish holiday.

In just over six minutes, fifteen innocent people, including 10-year-old girl Matilda and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor and grandfather, Alex Kleytman, were killed.

Dozens more were injured. Ten remain in hospital a fortnight later. 

Police shot dead Sajid Akram at the scene. 

His son Naveed remains in custody at the Long Bay Correctional complex charged with 59 offences.