ILOILO City—The Aklan provincial board has asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to effectively address continued confrontations triggered by land disputes on Boracay Island.
In a resolution passed during its regular session on October 5, the provincial board requested PNP chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome to issue clear guidelines and standard operating procedures in responding to land disputes on the popular island.
The board said clear guidelines for police operations were needed amid “violent and near-violent” confrontations of disputing parties, which have been regularly occurring on the island.
The board said in its resolution that the confrontations “have become a serious threat to the peace and order condition (of Boracay) which will ultimately adversely affect the rising tourism industry of (Aklan).”
It noted that the police have no definite course of action but to “tolerate” the presence of disputing parties on the properties even if these involved forcible occupations without court orders.
Disputes over prized lots on the 1,032-hectare island have become frequent as the island’s P13-billion tourism industry continues to grow. The disputes between claimants have triggered armed clashes usually between privately hired security guards, which have caused deaths in recent years.
Only around a third of lots on Boracay are titled, with most being occupied through tax declarations. But in several court cases that have dragged for years, tax declarations and titles cover the same properties.
The provincial board earlier asked the PNP to increase its personnel on the island especially amid the land disputes.
The Boracay Special Tourist Police Office has 68 policemen, fewer than the 120 personnel it had in previous years.
Aklan police director Senior Superintendent Cornelio Defensor said they have posted policemen in disputed properties to prevent clashes.