ILOILO CITY -- Six individuals were apprehended for illegally entering Boracay island in Malay, Aklan since its closure on April 26.
Five are Filipinos and one is a Korean national, said Lt. Ramil Palabrica, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard-Malay Sub-station.
Palabrica said that they violated Provincial Ordinance No. 05-32 imposing the “one entry, one exit policy” on the island and Presidential Proclamation 475 barring tourists from entering the island while rehabilitation works are ongoing.
Only the Cagban Jetty Port is the sole entry and exit point in the island from the Caticlan Jetty port in the mainland of Malay town, Palabrica explained.
Palabrica said most of these violators are docking at the back of the island.
“They are aware of the policy, but they still attempted,” Palabrica said.
Security forces from the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies are deployed around the island to secure that no one violates the policy, as well as secure peace and order in the entire island, he added.
These personnel are directly coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard if they have intercepted violators in their areas of assignment, he said.
Palabrica said the 37-year-old male Korean Kooktae Kong along with his four other colleagues were intercepted last May 8 while on board a motorboat and about to dock at Sitio Tambisaan in the village of Manoc-manoc in the island.
His four other colleagues were identified as Jomer Gadores, Albert Cacino, Erick Villa, and Jerry Samindao, all residents of Romblon province and Boracay Island.
Palabrica said that the violators were issued with violation tickets and turned over to authorities in the mainland of Malay town.
Their violation carries a penalty of PHP3,000, he said.
Meantime, Palabrica said the implementation of one entry, one exit policy in the ports of Cagban in Boracay island and Caticlan in Malay is now going on smoothly.
“Residents and workers are following the rules and regulations,” he noted.
Palabrica said that just like the residents of the island, workers are now being allowed in the port terminal from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. compared to the previous 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
But he clarified that in times of emergency, they could give consideration and assistance to residents and workers who want to travel in or out of the island. (PNA)
File photo by Cindy Ferrer
