Crimes involving foreigners may hurt Boracay tourism?

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Data from Boracay Tourist Assistance Center (BTAC) showed a number of foreigners falling prey to a spate of minor crimes, ranging from snatching, pickpocketing, harassment and thief. 

Just this month, a 27-year old man was mauled by bystanders who allegedly caught stealing the purse of 39-year old Korean tourist Tae Mo Kang. The incident happened in the beachfront near Station 1 in Barangay Balabag on March 10. 

The suspect Mark Anthony Castillo took away the victim’s purse but a group of bystanders collared and mauled him.

Responding municipal auxiliary police arrived and brought Castillo to BTAC. At the  Boracay police station, the tourist recovered her purse containing P4,000 cash and a cellular phone.

A 27-year old Swiss national was also a victim of snatching in the early morning of March 11. Police identified the suspect as 24-year old Roger Mingue of Calatrava, Negros Occidental.

Minque forcibly took the gold necklace and pendant worth P90,000 of Anastas Stepanian while on his way home to his hotel in Sitio Bulabog in Barangay Balabag.

After a brief chase, the foreigner cornered Minque and recovered the items. Minque was later apprehended by responding police officers. 

A 50-year old Deutsch national Andreas Heinrich Diekman was also taken into custody by BTAC after a local bar owner accused him of assault. 

It was learned that the foreigner tried to hit the 47-year old owner identified as Teodora Langley with an umbrella stand when she refused entry of Diekman into her bar.  

Somehow the bar owner managed to run and hid in a room.  The foreigner still kept on talking and causing alarmed to bystanders in her bar. The owner then called up the police for assistance. 

A 36-year old Swiss national also reported to BTAC that her former Filipino boyfriend carted her belongings. The female tourist identified as Nadia Tobler told the police that her cellular phone and P17,000 cash were taken away after their drinking spree. 

Last Monday, Adrian Magno, 18,  native of Lawaan, Antique was also turned over to BTAC after two female Japanese tourists claimed they were maliciously hugged in a local bar by the suspect.