ILOILO CITY ? The police force of Boracay has been dragged into the controversy involving a land dispute after the island?s police chief was removed from his post for alleged partiality.

Aklan police director Senior Superintendent Clarence Guinto said he had directed Superintendent Anthony Maghari to replace Supt. Arnold Ardiente as chief of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO) effective Monday.

In a telephone interview on Thursday, Guinto said Ardiente was facing a complaint for partiality and illegal arrest filed by security guards of Winace Holdings Philippines Inc.

Guinto said Ardiente was relieved to pave the way for an impartial investigation of the complaint filed by the security guards.

The BSTPO arrested two security guards of Winace last May 19 after a guard shot and wounded two workers of property claimant Ruth Tirol-Jarantilla during a confrontation in Barangay Balabag at the northern end of the 1,032-hectare island.

The workers were putting up fence on a disputed 700-square meter lot when a security guard allegedly shot at them, according to an earlier report of the BSTPO. The two workers were wounded in the leg and were hospitalized.

Ardiente, who was reassigned to the police regional office in Iloilo City, denied any irregularity in the arrest of the security guards.

?I was just doing my job and I was not taking sides,? Ardiente said by phone.

He said he hoped the investigation would clear him.

Two teams of policemen have been assigned to the disputed property to prevent further violence, according to Guinto.

Police also initiated dialogues between the feuding parties.