Boracay police chief wants more cops
The deployment of additional police personnel to secure the world's renown white beach top's the Christmas list of the chief of the Boracay Special Tourist Police Office (BSTPO) as PNP Director General Avelino Razon is set to visit the island.
BSTPO chief Senior Inspector Auxilio Dador said the current number of police personnel compared to the number of visitors and the residents is inadequate. Thousands of tourists flock the island during the summer and holiday vacations.
The ratio of police and people during peak season is 1:15,000. The ideal ratio should have been 1:500.
Dador said he will present to PNP chief Razon their concern when he visits the island on December 13, 2007.
The BSTPO is manned by some 70 police personnel. He said he preferred to have the PNP hierarchy double the number to 150. He, however said they need an immediate augmentation of 30 police personnel.
Dador said the island is so wide that BSTPO needs additional police force. The jetty port in Cagban should be monitored by other law enforcement agencies especially those coming from the Philippine Coast Guard to deter incidents particularly those perpetrated by terrorists, he added
Cagban jetty port serves as Boracay's main entry and exit point during most of the year. However, when wind and sea conditions dictate, there is an alternative entry and exit point facing the east side of the island. The procedures in checking the passengers' baggage need to be reviewed and pump boat operation should also be monitored.
Dador added that they can perform their work much better with adequate police personnel. However, the lack of police personnel did not stop them from implementing security measures to promote Boracay as a safe tourist destination. The police have already identified the places of concern especially during nighttime where tourists mostly hang out.
He said the Station 2 of the island is in their priority list as most of the bars are located thereat. They are on guard on the presence of vagrants, prostitutes and gays. They mostly hide under the coconut trees during nighttime. The presence of "salisi" gang along the beach front adds more to the police's concerns.
Dador said in order to augment the police, they have tapped the help of barangay tanods, volunteers and security guards of every establishment. They serve as force multiplier to maintain peace and order and same time prevent any untoward incidents.
Apart from the lack of police personnel, Dador said will also present before the chief PNP their problem regarding their mobility. At present, they only have six patrol cars, two all terrain vehicles and two jet skis. The jet ski's are already non-operational.