Aussie resort owner holed up in disputed Boracay lot

MANILA, Philippines — An Australian resort owner on Thursday complained that he and his family were being held by armed men inside their home on world-renowned Boracay island resort in Aklan province. Greg Hutchinson complained that he and his wife Viveca and their five-year-old twins were holed up inside their apartment beside the family-owned Sandcastles Resort Hotel. He told reporters in Manila by phone that the heavily armed men in ski masks barged inside the resort on Wednesday night, forcing guests and staff to leave. He said electricity and telephone connections to his residence. He said the incident is related to an “organized campaign" to force him out of the island. Hutchinson deplored what was happening, considering that he was one of those who helped build Boracay into a world-renowned beach resort. "When we opened SandCastles in 1989 there were just 10 resorts here … now there are over a hundred," he said. "This type of intimidation has been going on for three years. We thought it had stopped," Hutchinson had earlier been reported saying. "This is the way things are done in the Philippines. There are certain elements in the country who wait until you develop something, make a success of it and then they move in and force you out so they can reap the rewards," he said. The Australian Embassy said it was in close contact with the Hutchinsons and the Boracay police, who assured them that they are on the scene to resolve the matter. “An Australian family contacted the embassy to inform us that (they) are being prevented from leaving the resort it owns by a group of armed men," embassy press officer Kiel Enrique said in a text message. A report by the government-owned Philippines News Agency (PNA) quoted Boracay police chief Arnold Ardiente as saying he had offered Hutchinson and family safe passage out of the resort but they refused to leave and were waiting for their lawyer. "It is a civil dispute," he said, denying there were any armed thugs on the premises. "Police and security guards had been at the resort all night," he told PNA. Hutchinson insisted that he has still has 11 years of a 30-year-lease on the site occupied by his resort business, which is located on White Beach on the western side of the island. The incident took place just weeks after the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that the island of Boracay is public domain and owned by government. The High Tribunal did not say how the private lessees and owners, many of them foreigners, should be handled. Boracay is one of the premiere leisure spots for upscale holiday-seekers from all parts of the world because of its fine white sand, clear coral blue waters and energetic nightlife. Demolition The Hutchinsons were not the only ones on Boracay who were being kicked out. On the southern part of the island, violence erupted early on Thursday as local authorities enforced a court order to evict occupants of a disputed site in sitio Manggayad in barangay Manocmanoc. A team led by the sheriff and backed by 120 personnel police officers were met by tear gas after they insisted on pushing through with the demolition. Earlier, a group of women occupants prevented the demolition team from proceeding into the area. Shortly after the tear gas attack, a fire broke out in the commercial compound. Former occupants of the commercial center who stayed at the beach front as the demolition team proceeded into the burning compound cheered while they watched the compound being razed by the fire. Judge Elmo Del Rosario of the Kalibo Regional Trial Court Branch 6 issued the rviction order on Nov. 3 after the Supreme Court ruled with finality that two-thirds or a 9,915 square meter s of the area in question rightfully belongs to Gloria Martin (second set of intervenor in the case) and one-third or 4,957-square-meters was bought by Fred and Joan Elizalde (first set of intervenors). The court ordered plaintiff Vicente Delos Santos and 58 others to vacate the place and give way to the rightful owners. Among those up for demolition as a result of the court ruling are resort houses and a dive shop. Acting provincial police director Superintendent Larry Decena said past efforts to demolish the commercial area was likewise marred with violence. "In 2000 when the PNP tried to demolish the area some of the demolition team were injured after they were harassed by the occupants. Two months ago, the Sheriff was also threatened while having a dialogue to the residents," said Decena. - GMANews.TV