Boracay police arrested a tourist from Hong Kong last night after he allegedly punched a cop who called him out for smoking on the beach.
The suspect has been identified as Dennis Chong, 50, staying in the island’s village of Balabag. Chong was arrested at 9:45pm after he allegedly attacked Noly Cuatriz, a member of the Malay Auxiliary Police, reported Bandera.
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Cuatriz caught Chong puffing a cigarette and told him to cease, as it was a violation of Municipal Ordinance No. 309, which prohibits smoking on the beach. Instead of complying, Chong angrily threw his cigarette butt at the beach then allegedly punched Cuatriz, according to news show Unang Balita.
The confrontation is actually in line with a change in policy on the recently rehabilitated island’s beaches. While once best-known as a place to party hearty, it was announced just over a year ago that drinking and smoking would be banned in public beach areas going forward, something they’re clearly taking seriously these days.
Chong was brought to Boracay police station where he will be charged with violating the island’s anti-smoking and anti-littering ordinances as well as the whole, y’know, punching a cop thing.
Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered a six-month rehabilitation of the island, which he once described as “a cesspool.” It was closed to tourists from April 26-Oct. 26 of 2018, a move considered controversial at the time as it left thousands of workers unemployed for months.
Boracay’s rehabilitation is still ongoing, with the construction of main roads and sewage systems estimated to last until 2021.
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