BAGUIO CITY – The State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and its subsidiary the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) called on sub-lessees of portions of the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) to file their claims against the erstwhile developer the Camp John Hay Development Coroporation (CJHDevCo) after the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (PDRCI) ruled that the developer should return the former American military base to the government.
BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano D. Casanova said “the rights of the victims of CJHDevCo cannot be taken cognizance of unless they lay a claim against DevCo and make it accountable for the payments they have made.”
The arbitration committee came out with its decision on Camp John Hay last week, rescinding the lease agreement between BCDA and CJHDevCo. With the original lease rescinded, Casanova explained the contract that CJHDevCo entered into with its buyers no longer applies and their subleases are terminated with the principal lease.
“There was a deliberate concealment on the part of CJHDevCo of the contracts it had entered into and the payments it had received. We are still in the process of determining the enormity of the undisclosed sales,” Casanova said.
In a meeting with investors in Manila last week, the BCDA requested the victims of CJHDevCo to provide it with a record of their lease contracts, payments and other relevant documents so that it can start an inventory and determine how to proceed.
“CJHDevCo sold 50-year leases to the victims despite having only a 25-year lease on the property,” Casanova stressed.
The BCDA is also in talks with utility service providers to ensure that there will be no disruption in business inside Camp John Hay so as not to disappoint the public who frequently visit the economic zone.
The members of the arbitration committee were unanimous in ordering Sobrepena’s CJH Development Corp. to vacate Camp John Hay and return it to the BCDA in “tenantable” condition and an arbiter said CJHDevCo should pay BCDA the P2.4 billion obligation that it admitted to owing the state run firm in 2008.
By Dexter A. See
