BORACAY – The mayor of Malay, Aklan which has jurisdiction over this island that will be temporarily closed due to environmental problems is talking tough.
With or without an order placing Boracay under a state of calamity, its closure would proceed today as scheduled, declared Mayor Ciceron Cawaling.
Local officials of Malay and Boracay face possible administrative charges.
According to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) assistant secretary for plans and programs Epimaco Densing III, a complaint for grave neglect of duty would be filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against at least 10 local officials.
The closure of Boracay begins at 12:01 a.m. of April 26, said Cawaling. No Boracay-bound tourists would be allowed to enter the jetty port in Caticlan, Malay.
Yesterday, droves of tourists in Boracay were seen leaving the island in motorboats. Upon reaching Caticlan, they queued to board buses to leave for Kalibo, Aklan and other alternative vacation destinations.
Cawaling reiterated that only Boracay residents are permitted to enter the island but they must show identification cards as proof of residency or temporary passes.
He was mum on the possible charges that local officials could face over alleged neglect that led to the pollution problem in Boracay.
According to Densing, the drafting of the complaint sheet has been finalized. He, however, did not identify the respondents.
“The only reason why we haven’t filed it yet is because we are authenticating documents and evidence,” he said.
The use of environmental fees from tourists entering Boracay would be audited, added Densing.
Earlier this month, nearly 50 illegal pipelines that spewed wastewater into the sea were discovered.
Meanwhile, DILG undersecretary Martin Diño said officials of the three barangays in Boracay – Balabag, Manoc-Manoc and Yapak – may be suspended or removed from their posts if it is proven that they allowed businesses without sewage systems to operate.
Elected officials may be charged before the municipal or city council while barangay officials may be terminated, as stated in the Local Government Code.
According to Diño, there may have been lapses at the barangay level in ascertaining, during the application process for barangay clearance, if the applicant has a sewage system./PN
