DUMAGUETE CITY, May 6 -- The city government here on Monday warned owners and operators of boarding and lodging houses of facing possible cases and closures should they fail to immediately secure business permits.

Phoebe Tan, chair of the city's Anti-Indecency Board (AIB), said more than 20 boarding houses were inspected last week and most of them had either incomplete or no permits to operate from the city.

She said the board conducted the inspection following reports that some of the boarding houses are used for illegal and indecent activities.

"It has become a concern for us because these boarding houses, usually catering to students, are potential or even actual places where indecent acts are being perpetrated as reported to us by ...