ZAMBOANGA CITY – A missing pair of slippers triggered a melee between foreign and local tourists in one of the island resorts in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on Saturday afternoon, March 23.
Police Major Helen Galvez, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 9 (PRO9) said American Steven Barry Joyce, 58, and a Filipino companion, Roperto Zungkuya Jr., 30, appeared at the Ipil Municipal Police Station and reported the incident in Buluan Island in Ipil around 3:30 p.m.
Investigation showed that while Joyce was looking for slippers, a female companion approached a group of Tagalog speaking tourists and inquired about the missing footwear.
When the tourists denied seeing the slippers, Joyce reportedly pushed one of the Filipinos which triggered the brawl.
Eyewitness said the group of Joyce provoked the Tagalog speaking tourists who were assaulted by Zungkuya.
“I have not seen the American being mauled by Filipino tourists, what I saw was, he was trying to box one of the tourists, due to intoxication, he stumbled that resulted in his injuries,” an eyewitness said.
At the police station, Joyce and Zungkuya claimed they were mauled. /gsg