Semana Santa in Boracay ‘generally peaceful’

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The Department of Tourism (DoT)-Boracay has reported that the traditional celebration of Holy Week in Boracay Island was generally peaceful.

Except for petty crimes and drug-related police operations, there were no major untoward incidents during the Holy Week holiday in the resort-island, stressed Boracay tourism officer Artemio Ticar, Jr.

“So far, wala gid problema nga dalangko (sa Holy Week),” he said.

Boracay police chief Senior Inspector Mark Evan Salvo also declared that this year’s observance of Semana Santa has been generally peaceful.

To ensure the safety of tourists, police patrols were deployed and police assistance desks and emergency assistance centers were put up by volunteer groups in strategic locations in Boracay. 

Security in jetty port terminals was also tightened by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police with the expected influx of travelers going to Boracay Island last week to spend their holidays.   

As of Easter Sunday, the Boracay Tourist Assistance Center, the Aklan Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Task Group and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 6 arrested a bar owner in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Yapak.

Police identified the suspect as 49-year old Sotero “Badoy” dela Torre. Recovered from him were six sachets of suspected shabu, P1,000 marked money and the mobile phone he used in his drug transactions.

There were reports also of theft resulting to the arrest of two women snatchers from Iloilo City. The suspects were apprehended in a mall in Barangay Balabag on Good Friday.

For his part, Kalibo police chief Superintendent Aden Lagradante also reported peaceful and orderly Semana Santa observance in the capital town of Kalibo.