Local and foreign tourists crowd Boracay’s beachfront. File photo

The Philippine National Police (PNP) says Boracay is safe despite the discovery in an abandoned chapel of the body of a Slovak tourist reported missing last week.

Police Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, director of PNP Regional Office 6, said disappearance and death of Michaela Mickova, 23, is an isolated case and we are working to solve the case as soon as possible.

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.

“This is the first time. Saka hindi naman talaga nangyayari — wala naman talagang ganitong mga pangyayari (This is not something that really happens there),” he said, citing police records on the popular resort island.

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 last Tuesday.

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

Wanky added she may have been sexually abused, based on autopsy findings.