[ Manila Bulletin Online ] November 17, 2008
By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
BORACAY — The Philippine National Police is seeking extra-judicial efforts to ease the tension in a disputed beach resort property in Boracay Island.
Aklan police director Senior Supt. Clarence Guinto said he had talked with landowner Editha Cawaling-Meren and sub-lessee Evangeline Dizon-Dalino last week in the hope of ending a tense situation in the Sandcastles Resort.
"It is not only a national issue, but it is now becoming an international issue. The pending court case would take a long time and I am hoping we could come up with an extra-judicial settlement," he said.
PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa earlier directed Guinto, the new Aklan Police Provincial Office chief, to look into the Boracay situation, including the jobs of the tourist police to secure the safety of resort owners.
Cawaling-Meren leased her property to Australian resort owner Greg Hutchinson for 30 years until December 2019. Last year, the landowner sought to nullify the lease contract and asked Hutchinson to vacate the disputed property and later leased it to Dalino for 19 years.
Last November 5, a dozen alleged armed men entered the Sandcastles Resort in Barangay Balabag and allegedly held hostage Hutchinson’s family. Officials of the Boracay Special Tourist Protection Office (BSTPO) said there was no hostage-taking.
Former Boracay police chief Supt. Arnold Ardiente, now Aklan deputy director, said the policemen were deployed to guard the resort and the apartment rooms and to secure Hutchinson, his wife Viveca and their five-year-old twins.
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