PANGLAO, Bohol — The local government of Panglao has ordered the immediate closure of Villa Tomasa Q, a popular resort on the island, for allegedly operating without a valid business permit.
The resort, formerly known as Alona Kew White Beach Resort, received a closure order after failing to renew its business permit for 2024, despite receiving a notice over 10 days ago from the Business Permit Licensing Office of Panglao.
“Based on the foregoing factual setting, you cannot anymore blame us for not giving you the right to due process, if the LGU Panglao through the undersigned Chief Executive will exercise its police power to issue a closure order to your establishment for operating a hotel and resort without a business permit,” the order reads.
The enforcement of the closure was carried out on Tuesday afternoon. Subsequently, the property reverted to the control of its original owners, Eteria Evelyn Naval-Flores and Magileo Wilfredo Flores.
The closure is the latest development in a series of legal challenges involving the property. The resort’s lessees, the Guardos from Cebu City, reportedly failed to meet their monthly rental payments, accumulating arrears of P63.9 million as of April 2024, according to documents provided by the Flores family.
Despite the contractual breach, the Floreses had delayed taking legal action, opting instead for negotiations that ultimately fell through when the lessees rejected a restructuring proposal.
On March 27, 2024, after rejecting the lessees’ counter-proposal, the Floreses demanded full payment of the outstanding balance and vacated the premises. The lessees have since ceased all payments and refused to vacate the property, the legal documents indicate.
Efforts to reach the Guardos for comment have been made, and an update will be provided once a response is received.
