[ Manila Bulletin Online ] November 21, 2008
By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
BORACAY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is urging the Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan to create a crisis committee to ease the tension over a property dispute in Boracay Island.
In a peace and order briefing yesterday, Aklan police director Senior Supt. Clarence Guinto said the committee should oversee the conflict between Sandcastles Resort owner Greg Hutchinson, who entered into a 20-year lease in 1989, and landowner Editha Cawaling-Meren.
The lease contract was extended for 10 years until 2019. On November 5, armed men seized the resort hotel from its lessee, forcing the staff and guests to flee.
Guinto said he would assign this week additional men from the Boracay Special Tourist Protection Office (BSTPO) to secure the property.
Hutchinson, his wife and 5-year-old twins are staying in the third floor of the apartment building while Meren and Evangeline Dalino, a lessee, are allowed to stay in the first and second floors, the police director said.
"No security agency could enter the disputed property unless they could establish possession. Their security guards are also prohibited to carry long firearms. There are seven Boracay policemen, at any given time, assigned in Sandcastles Resort to maintain peace and order in the property," he said.
Vice Governor Gabrielle Calizo said the Sandcastles Resort incident has affected Aklan’s tourism industry and cited the possible cancellation of tourist bookings from around the world.
"I have talked with the lawyers of the contending parties and I asked them to provide court orders so that we could assist the sheriff. The situation there is not normal and we cannot afford this incident to continue for long. It will have an impact, not only in Boracay, but also the tourism in the area," Guinto said.
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