Display of Chinese flag in Boracay OK, says cop chief

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Authorities in Boracay have failed to identify the tourists who recently displayed a Chinese flag on the beach of Boracay Island, which drew displeasure from some residents. But Police Maj. Jess Baylon, outgoing police chief of Malay town in Aklan province, said there was no law or regulation prohibiting foreign tourists from displaying their countries’ flags. “It could have offended some residents but we cannot arrest anyone for these actions. We can probably request them not to do it,” Baylon told the Inquirer. The photo of the flag of the People’s Republic of China on the beach drew the ire of some residents who ranted on social media. But according to Baylon, it is normal practice for tour guides to carry flags, including national banners, to guide those part of a tour group. “They use it as a guide … or to mark an area where they will assemble,” he said. Tourists from mainland China comprised the biggest number of foreign tourists in Boracay in the past several years.—NESTOR BURGOS JR.