Boracay is safe despite the discovery in an abandoned chapel of the body of a Slovak tourist reported missing last week, regional police said.

Michaela Mickova, 23 years old, was reported missing last March 11, and found the next day in an area behind the beachfront.

Speaking to Teleradyo Serbisyo yesterday, Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas, said police consider Mickova’s disappearance and death an isolated case and that they are working to solve the case as soon as possible.

“This is the first time. Saka hindi naman talaga nangyayari. Wala naman talagang ganitong mga pangyayari,” he said, citing police records on the popular resort island.

“Walang ganoong insidente in the past. Ngayon lang po nangyari.”

He said police already have one person of interest in custody, although that person was arrested in a separate drug buy-bust.

Authorities are also looking for other people Mickova was last seen with.

In the meantime, he said, police are building up a case for the eventual filing.

“Actually, ang kapulisan natin, they are really doing their best. Alam nila kung gaano ka-fragile ‘yung situation sa Boracay. Anything na mangyari gaya niyan related sa peace and order, ay talagang malaki ang effect,” he said.

He added there are enough police officers on the island but that putting up more CCTV cameras would help them keep Boracay safer.

Stakeholders on the island have also pledged a reward of up to P500,000 for information leading to the arrest of people linked to the incident, he said.

Mickova was in the Philippines to attend a friend’s wedding when she was reported missing.

Police said she may have been robbed because a belt bag where she kept her camera and mobile phone had been reported missing.

Wanky added she may have been sexually abused, based on autopsy findings. (ABS-CBN News)