BORACAY – This island resort’s closure for six months may drive displaced laborers to engage in illegal activities such as drug pushing for easy money, according to the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Boracay’s closure for a much needed rehabilitation begins this April 26.
Aside from drug trafficking, there could be a surge in robbery and theft cases, said Senior Inspector Kenneth Bermejo, RDEU chief, because “not all displaced workers in the island may be able to find jobs.”
This scenario is what the RDEU has been preparing to address, said Bermejo.
On Wednesday, 20-year-old Jose Berdenar of Barangay Unidos, Nabas, Aklan was arrested in a buy-bust operation of the RDEU in Sitio Cabanbanan, Barangay Manoc-Manoc, Boracay.
Berdenar sold a sachet of shabu to an undercover police officer for P5,200.
Thirty more sachets valued at P80,000 were found in Berdenar’s possession.
Berdenar was not even a regular employee of an establishment in Boracay. He admitted to being a pimp or an agent for commercial sex workers.
The PRO-6 also urged residents and business operators in Boracay not to resort to violence even if they disagree to the impending closure of the island.
“There has been no riot or rally in the island so far. But the police is prepared for whatever will happen,” said Chief Inspector Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson.
Some of the 630 policemen deployed to Boracay were recently trained on Civil Disturbance Management, said Malong.
Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, regional police director, ordered 630 policemen deployed to Boracay to intensify antidrug operations.
“Wala na masyadong kita so nagpangita ako other source of income,” drug pushing suspect Berdenar told Panay News.
He found peddling shabu a convenient alternative livelihood.
Berdenar faces a charge for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.
According to Bermejo, Berdenar was in the watch list of suspected drug personalities of the police station of the municipality of Malay which has jurisdiction over Boracay.
Most of the suspect’s clients were foreigners looking for sex, said Bermejo.
“He started selling illegal drugs nang humina na iya kita,” the police officer added.
Under interrogation, Berdenar said he got his shabu stocks from a certain John.
“We will check his claim. This John is reportedly based in mainland Aklan,” said Bermejo.
Berdenar was detained at the Boracay police substation./PN
