MALACAÑANG said Thursday the government would not hesitate to send the Marines and ”blow up” West Cove and other illegal structures in the shores of Boracay if resort owners would continue to defy orders to clean up the tourist-popular island.
“The last that I heard is that the local government may even ask the President for assistance to call in the Marines if need be,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told a news briefing.
“So when I heard that report, I told them, send the letter because I’m sure the President will not hesitate to send in the Marines and even use dynamites to blow up that illegal structure there,” he added.
The President earlier threatened to shut down the resort island of Boracay, which he described as “cesspool.”
Later in the day, the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, and Tourism recommended the total closure of Boracay for up to a year so it can be rehabilitated.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Interior officer-in-charge Eduardo Año, and Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced their recommendation to the President on Thursday.
“For public health, public interest, and general welfare, I recommend to the President the closure of Boracay island as tourist destination for a maximum of one year effective one month after the declaration,” Cimatu said in a statement.
When asked on the latest development on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of the Interior and Local Government efforts to clean Boracay, Roque said the President would ask the assistance of Marines if needed to destroy illegal structures in the island.
Roque said illegal structures, including the West Cove in Boracay, would be demolished with the use of bombs.
He said the President wanted to hasten to clean the environment in Boracay, adding “that decision [to demolish] the structures, which have breached environment laws as far as I know, is immediately executory.”
“I think the DILG and DENR have said that they will demolish West Cove,” Roque said.
Duterte even threatened to arrest local officials who would not cooperate with the national government, the officials instructed to restore the famous beach destination to its pristine condition within six months.