AKLAN – Authorities are investigating the death of a 23-year-old Slovak national whose body was discovered in an abandoned chapel in Sitio Pinaungon, Barangay Balabag, Malay town here on Wednesday afternoon, March 12.
The victim, identified as Michaela Mickova, was found lying on her back with her legs spread apart. She was wearing an upper garment but it was rolled up, and she had no lower garment. Her shoes remained on and she was carrying a belt bag, but her wallet was missing.
“Initial findings indicate that she sustained a stab wound to the abdomen, but we are waiting for the official autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death,” said Lieutenant Colonel Marjoseph Ravelo, chief of the Malay Municipal Police Station.
Mickova reportedly arrived in Boracay on March 1 to attend a Filipina friend’s wedding. She was reported missing on March 10, two days before her body was discovered in an abandoned chapel about a kilometer away from her accommodations.
Authorities are now following leads based on evidence and closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage.
“We are working round the clock to identify and hold the perpetrator accountable. Our police force remains on high alert, and our emergency contact numbers are available 24/7 for any safety concerns,” Ravelo added.
Meanwhile, Ravelo assured the public that Boracay Island remains safe despite the crime.
“Boracay is still safe,” Ravelo said in a press conference, emphasizing that the case is an isolated incident.
“Wala tayong previous cases na katulad nito, at patuloy ang ating mga seguridad upang mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa isla,” he added.
For its part, the Aklan Police Provincial Office led by its director, Colonel Arnel Enrico Ramos, guaranteed that they are taking this matter seriously and committed to conducting a thorough and impartial investigation.
Ramos appealed to anyone with relevant information about the incident to come forward to assist in the ongoing investigation.
“You can contact the Malay Municipal Police Station or the Aklan Police Provincial Office if there is any information regarding the incident,” he said./PN
