Our Visitors' Reviews and Comments

Sandcastle Resort Under Seige

by Boracayman
(Melbourne / Aklan)

The Sandcastle Resort was raided Wednesday night November 5 2008 around 10:00 pm, when 12–15 armed thugs - some of whom had their faces hidden by ski masks cut power and telephone lines to the property when they stormed in breaking the front glass doors at the Resort, then forced startled Resort staff and Resort security to one area of the resort. Three people were alleged to be injured including one resort lady guard who was forced down and hog tied while the rest of the resort was overtaken. Tourist guests were also forced to flee for safety while being terrorised by the armed intruders.

The Australian Resort owner Greg Hutchison, his Filipina wife Vivica and their 5 year old twin children became sieged in one of their Resort apartments on the third floor that is part of the Sandcastle resort. There was no escape route for them as the masked men had barricaded their rear door with heavy gas bottles. By this time the armed men had taken over the whole resort and surrounded the apartment complex

The first and second floors of the Apartment complex were also taken over by the invaders. By all intents and purposes the Hutchisons were locked-in hostages in fear for their own safety in their own resort. It became a hostage siege situation.

At some time later in the evening the staff were allowed to leave and Police assisted to defuse the stand off situation between the Hutchisons and the invaders who by now had been identified as guards hired by the lot owner Editha Meren and a previous sub lessee Evangeline Danilo. They were responsible for organising the siege of the resort and planned to take over the resort.

The lot owner Editha Meren is the sister of the Boracay Mayor Ceciron Cawaling.

Greg Hutchison has a 20-year lease agreement and a further 10-year lease agreement that allows him to operate his property the Sandcastle resort until 2019. The payment is prepaid until 2010 so it seems there are no legal grounds for this OJ style siege and hostage drama or the takeover of the resort.

Boracay Police have disarmed the security personnel and posted their own officers at the site for protection and there is now no more hostage situation. On Monday November 10 Greg Hutchison is expected to apply to the Kalibo Regional Trial Court to apply a previous status quo order issued by the Court allowing him possession of the Resort property until the Court resolves pending petitions.

Hutchison's lawyer Oscar Tagamolila said “We will ask the court to intervene so that the other parties will be ordered to leave the premises of the property”. He also said “Judge Lebilia Aragona-Biliran of the Kalibo RTC issued an order in November 2007 which allowed his client continued possession of the property until the full court resolution of the petition for the issuance of an injunction and temporary restraining order.

Hutchison had filed the petition to block the termination of the lease agreements with Editha Meren.

Tagamolila said that the takeover by Meren violated the previous court order. They were also planning to file criminal charges against Meren, Danilo and the armed men who occupied the Resort property.

Many guests had prepaid their accommodation and were now distraught about the whole invasion incident which had left them without their rooms.

The Hutchisons have owned the resort for nearly 20 years and have spent millions of dollars on buildings and infrastructure at the Sandcastle Resort. It's simply something we would not have done unless we had a secure lease agreement Vivica Hutchison stated.

What happened at the Resort on that Wednesday night was far worse than what OJ Simpson did in the US and we all know how many years he got for taking the law into his own hands by storming a property in a similar way.

If the Police and Justice Department are really serious about protecting people's rights in the Philippines and on Boracay in particular then they should exact the full force of the law against those that organised the siege, hurt staff, frightened guests and kept the Hutchisons hostaged that night. Also the international image of safety on Boracay Island is at stake. These violent actions should not have take place and must be condemned by the Police, Courts and Government.

After 12 weeks They are still holding out in the 3rd story apartment. Action needs to be taken now.

Jan 18 - 25, 200912 Weeks Under Siege...and counting!!!

Besieged at Boracay Sandcastles

Hostaged Hutchinsons I was informed by friends privy to my friendship with the Hutchinsons that thugs led by Evangeline Dalino, stormed into the Hutchinson's Boracay SandCastles Resort with weapons and not with any court order, and have taken them hostage together with their 2 children, Joshua and Jenet. As of this writing, they are still held captive against their will. Their Internet USB wire was cut, Joshua is now afflicted with a blocked bowel, Greg is suffering from a mild attack of Crohn's disease, their food is dependent upon others outside and the emergency exit of the apartments is blocked by a gas cylinder. Their captors have the upper hand in being able to choose to shoo away or welcome visitors. The PNP is there but not doing anything to remove Dalino's thugs. The Hutchinson's sources tell them that General Cuevas, regional director, reversed his own order. Greg and his family were informed. Cuevas was called up by a congressman and a governor.

Call to Action. The Hutchinsons are one of the most decent people I've met and I feel strongly against this crass and blatant show of force against them by lawless elements who take the law into their own hands with utmost impunity. We can't just sit down and watch this travesty take place. Vivica F Hutchinson 0920 558 7188, 63 917 819 3049 boracaysandcastles@yahoo.com, iveca@tribaladventures.com. Due to Greg's condition and Joshua's bowel blockage, it has been in their best interest to move out for time being. Viveca is still holding the fort so to speak. Here we have Australian Citizens - dual citizens with the children also and little is being done to support their rights to uphold their livelihood or future. Anyone who's visiting Boracay in the near future, try to see them to give your support.. or at least put some pressure on the PNP that are not on the Hutchisons side.

Here's one of Vivica's letters.

This is to thank you for writing about Col Benigno Durana Jr on “Cop on UN Team Shows Best in Pinoy” on The Philippine Daily Inquirer on 19 Jan 2009 issue. We have been wondering where he is – Caucasia. Georgia is fortunate to have him as deputy chief strategist at the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (Unomig). We can use the cliché one man’s loss is another man’s gain. When Boracay and Aklan were under the care of then Aklan Police Chief Col Durana and Boracay Police Chief Capt Auxilio Dador, Sandcastles guests, staff, my family and I felt secure and safe.

There were regular visits from the police who were always on the go walking and cycling on Boracay’s beaches and roads, reminding the bad elements to keep away. Unfortunately, this ceased when both chiefs went in the third quarter of 2008, and there didn’t seem to be much turn-over of the simple and good deeds that they advocated.

Thus, on 5 November 2008, Sandcastles got illegally and violently invaded by armed goons led by the sister of Boracay’s Mayor, that clearly proved that there was a breakdown of law and order. The Philippines needs great leaders like Col Durana, and we hope that after sharing his expertise and good faith to our brothers outside of this country, he will be back to help put our country back on the right track. We miss you Col Durana! Sincerely, Vivica Ferrer Hutchinson Boracay Sandcastles Beach Resort & The Apartments