More cops shall be deployed in this resort island of Boracay to ensure the safety of the delegates to the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Leader’s Summit, according to Chief Supt. Geary Barias, regional police director.
Barias is expecting dignitaries of the 10-member countries who will participate in the summit to visit Boracay. Moreover, thousands of local and foreign tourists are expected to visit Boracay during the peak season of December.
"We will beef up the security to guarantee their safety while enjoying in the famed tourist destination. There could be a spillover of foreign visitors in Boracay Island and other provinces in the region" Barrias pointed out.
The city and province of Cebu play hosts to Asean delegates from Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines from December 6 to 14, 2006 before they swing to Boracay.
Barias said his proposal to install hidden or closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) in strategic areas to monitor criminals and terrorists in the island was discussed with officials of the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Tourism Authority.
The resort island is popularly known for its long stretch of white beaches and pristine waters. The expected influx of visiting foreign dignitaries and delegates call for maximized police visibility operations, the police director said.
Barias introduced CCTVs and a database identification system to the national government to allay fears of 17 Heads of States and 10,000 foreign and local participants in the international gathering.
"This (security) is a top-most concern of the police to closely monitor any threats aimed to sow terror in the island," Barias added.
Earlier, the provincial government has started implementing the one-entry-one-exit ordinance where all motorized boats from and to the island dock at the Cagban Jetty port in Brgy. Manoc-Manoc as part of the security measures being implemented by Senior Insp. Christopher Prangan and the 100-strong Boracay Special Tourist Protection Office (BSTPO).
Meanwhile, the BSTPO with Aklan Provincial PNP Director William S. Macavinta apprehended two foreign nationals in the early morning of Wednesday, November 29. They were caught in the act of giving bribe money in exchange for liberty.
Tariq A. Siddiqui, a Pakistani national according to the police report was caught in the act of handing bribe money to Sr. Insp. Christopher Prangan in the PNP office in Boracay. But that was an entrapment. As Tariq hands the money worth P140,000.00, to Prangan, Provincial Director William S. Macavinta with other policemen came out of the adjacent room and apprehended Tariq.
Mr. Tariq has a good working knowledge and speaks good Filipino. According to him, he is married to an Ilonga with whom he has two children whose ages are 7 and 3 years old. They live in Manila where he is engages in lending money.
On the early morning of Wednesday, November 29, he flew to Caticlan, proceeded to Boracay and finally to BSTPO upon the request of his friend, Alexander Sinowenka, 45, whom Tariq calls "Alex". "Alex is my client and he requested me to lend him money which I may deliver it in Boracay to bail him out of a certain problem. I thought Alex has a rape problem" related Tariq. "Alex requested me to hand the money to the police officer. We were only two in the office. As soon as I give the money, I was arrested," Tariq revealed.
Alex or Alexander Sinowenka was arrested one day earlier, on November 28. He was suspected to have been encashing some fake travelers checks. During confrontation, he was positively identified by a lady teller from Angeles City where Sinowenka encashed a fake traveler’s check as evidenced after that check bounced and returned.
Sinowenka has also a pending warrant of arrest for estafa in Metro Manila.
The two were remitted to the Aklan Rehabilitation Center, Nalook, Kalibo after the Aklan Provincial Prosecutor has filed appropriate charges against Alexander Sinowenka and Tariq A. Siddique. They were released after duly posting their respective bail bonds. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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