DOT warns Boracay visitors vs. extortion syndicateBY ERLY GARCIA
BE WARY. Tourists going to the island resort of Boracay should be vigilant against syndicate engaged in extortion activities (BRZabal)
BORACAY - Department of Tourism (DOT) regional director Edwin Trompeta warned guests as well as hotel and resort owners in Boracay Island to be vigilant as a so-called syndicate involved in extortion activities is taking advantage of the Lenten vacation.
Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists are spending Holy Week vacation in the world renown island resort. Guests started arriving since Monday.
Trompeta said an appropriate travel advisory has been issued to warn the tourists of the modus employed by still unidentified suspects.
Trompeta said, the extortionists would normally call by phone the unsuspecting victim through the hotel or resort where the guest is staying. Once connected the caller then threatens or intimidate the victim into giving in to the former's demands.
Trompeta said, the suspect would normally tell the victim that he is just in the vicinity of the hotel or resort eventually putting fear on the victim.
The operation normally occurs in the wee hours of the morning.
Trompeta said, about three cases of similar nature have been reported in Boracay recently.
He said the latest victims were two female guests in one resort who were pressured by the suspects to shell out cellphone loads reaching P8,000.
Trompeta, however, lamented that the suspects are difficult to trace because they are using pre-paid cellphone units.
Trompeta thus asked the cooperation of hotel and resort operators in the island to put an end to the modus.
He said front desk clerks, security guards and other hotel or personnel have important roles to play to stop the practice. They should not just easily give information about their guests to people they do not know.
Trompeta said, the Boracay police is now conducting investigation and close monitoring to prevent other tourists from being victimized by the extortion syndicate.
Trompeta noted that he heard of similar modus before in Metro Manila. He said the culprits may be the same group which operates in Manila.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reportedly started inspecting resort and business establishments in Boracay to prevent another disastrous fire that struck two years ago.
ABS-CBN News reported that BFP Spokesman Chief Inspector Reynato Marcial said their personnel were deployed to Boracay to inspect all cottages and shops in the island.
Marcial said electricity wirings of all cottages and business establishments were being strictly inspected to make sure that the four-hour fire that struck the island last Jan. 21, 2005 will not happen again.
BFP implemented stricter inspection in the island as local and foreign tourists flock to the Philippine's most popular resort island. More tourists are expected to arrive in the island because of the Holy Week.
The 2005 fire that started from an unattended lit candle in a sandal shop damaged 60 small shops and three resorts. The damage was estimated at P200 million. The fire also injured six people.
(With a report from ABS-CBN News)
Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists are spending Holy Week vacation in the world renown island resort. Guests started arriving since Monday.
Trompeta said an appropriate travel advisory has been issued to warn the tourists of the modus employed by still unidentified suspects.
Trompeta said, the extortionists would normally call by phone the unsuspecting victim through the hotel or resort where the guest is staying. Once connected the caller then threatens or intimidate the victim into giving in to the former's demands.
Trompeta said, the suspect would normally tell the victim that he is just in the vicinity of the hotel or resort eventually putting fear on the victim.
The operation normally occurs in the wee hours of the morning.
Trompeta said, about three cases of similar nature have been reported in Boracay recently.
He said the latest victims were two female guests in one resort who were pressured by the suspects to shell out cellphone loads reaching P8,000.
Trompeta, however, lamented that the suspects are difficult to trace because they are using pre-paid cellphone units.
Trompeta thus asked the cooperation of hotel and resort operators in the island to put an end to the modus.
He said front desk clerks, security guards and other hotel or personnel have important roles to play to stop the practice. They should not just easily give information about their guests to people they do not know.
Trompeta said, the Boracay police is now conducting investigation and close monitoring to prevent other tourists from being victimized by the extortion syndicate.
Trompeta noted that he heard of similar modus before in Metro Manila. He said the culprits may be the same group which operates in Manila.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reportedly started inspecting resort and business establishments in Boracay to prevent another disastrous fire that struck two years ago.
ABS-CBN News reported that BFP Spokesman Chief Inspector Reynato Marcial said their personnel were deployed to Boracay to inspect all cottages and shops in the island.
Marcial said electricity wirings of all cottages and business establishments were being strictly inspected to make sure that the four-hour fire that struck the island last Jan. 21, 2005 will not happen again.
BFP implemented stricter inspection in the island as local and foreign tourists flock to the Philippine's most popular resort island. More tourists are expected to arrive in the island because of the Holy Week.
The 2005 fire that started from an unattended lit candle in a sandal shop damaged 60 small shops and three resorts. The damage was estimated at P200 million. The fire also injured six people.
(With a report from ABS-CBN News)
No comments:
Post a Comment