Benhur Abalos (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

While it's undoubtedly shocking, the discovery of the corpse of a Slovak tourist in Boracay "is a very isolated case", says former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos.

“I want to assure the public, especially the international community, that this is a very isolated case,” Abalos said in in an interview in Tacloban, Leyte on Friday, March 14 where he and the rest of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate were scheduled to hold a  campaign rally later in the afternoon.

Discovered at an abandoned chapel in Boracay--arguably the country’s most famous tourist destination--was the body of 23-year-old Michaela Mickova.

Abalos emphasized that Boracay remains a safe destination for travelers. 

“I just spoke with PNP Regional Director Jack Wanky, and according to police records, this is the first time such an incident has happened to a tourist on the island,” he stressed.

“As far as police records are concerned, this is an isolated case,” he reiterated. “It’s the first time something like this has happened to a tourist. I want to make that clear because tourism is one of the strengths of our country. We do not want this unfortunate incident to overshadow the reality that the Philippines—and Boracay in particular—remains a welcoming and hospitable place for visitors.”

Abalos, who once supervised the PNP in his capacity as DILG chief, said that authorities in the Western Visayas region have launched a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mickova’s death.

“All that I can tell you is that the police are on top of this. Having been DILG secretary before, I understand that while there are details I may want to disclose, I cannot, as it may affect the investigation. 

"But I assure everyone that from day one, this has been treated as a priority case. Our police force is working tirelessly, and I am confident that the investigation is moving in the right direction," said the administration senatorial bet.

Abalos says he "condemns [the killing] in the strongest terms". He reiterated that crimes of this nature remain exceptionally rare in Boracay. 

Mickova was discovered inside an abandoned chapel of Zone 3 in Barangay Balabag in Malay town at around 2 p.m. on March 12--two days after she was reported missing by a Filipina friend.

The body was already in the state of decomposition.