BAGUIO CITY – More than sixty unit owners and investors of the various establishments in the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) sought the intervention of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to address the current impasse they are experiencing after the State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) took over their units even as they were buyers in good faith.
In their letter to the President dated January 27, 2025, the group stated that as law abiding citizens and investors who acted in good faith, they trust in the government’s commitment to protect and service its people, as well as foster its international reputation for fairness and equitable treatment of all stakeholders.
“We firmly believe that the principles of fairness and equity should guide the resolution of this matter, while we respect the rule of law, we also seek recognition of our legitimate rights and the humanity of our plight,” the letter stressed.
The group is composed of unit owners and investors of the Forest Lodge, The Manor, Forest Estates, Country Homes, Golf Estates, and Forest Cabins in Camp John Hay.
The group sought the assistance of the President because of the urgent and dire situation they are facing following the enforcement of the writ of execution issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 on January 7, 2025 where notices to vacate have posted on the doors of their respective units putting them in eminent danger of being unjustly evicted without due process of law.
“We acquired our units based on the understanding, with proper documentation, that we have rights to our properties until 2046. However, with the Supreme Court judgment now final and executory, we are being forced to vacate properties we purchased with our hard-earned money, leaving us feeling betrayed and helpless,” the group emphasized.
Their current situation stemmed from the long-standing legal conflict between the BCDA and CJH DevCo that ended up with the arbitral ruling rendered by the Makati-based Philippine Dispute Resolution Center, Inc. (PDRCI) compelling the private developer to return the BCDA the leased area without encumbrances as far as practicable and for BCDA to reimburse to the developer some P1.4 billion in paid lease rentals and improvements in the said area.
The group pointed out that while the SC ‘s decision resolved the contractual disputes between the aforesaid entities, the third-party buyers who were not part of the arbitration processes are unjustly caught in the crossfire.
“We acted in good faith, with no involvement in the original agreements or subsequent disputes, yet we are now bearing the brunt of these legal battles,” the group said.
For many of them, the group argued that the said properties represent more than just financial investments, they are homes where they intend to spend their retirements years in peace. For others, they serve as sources of livelihood through rentals and tourism. Some of them even exhausted their life savings to purchase and renovate the said units. Now, we are being asked to pack up and leave,” the letter stipulated.
According to them, some properties have already been sealed with notices to vacate posted. Some of them can no longer enter their properties because the same had been already locked.
Distressingly, the group claimed that the one-unit owner’s baby and house help were still inside when their door was sealed.
“We feel harassed and immensely anxious during these times. Non-Filipino investors and residents who chose to invest and live in our country now face similar distress, raising concerns about the protection of their rights and investments in the Philippines. We understand that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is now claiming ownership of the entire Camp John Hay by virtue of the Supreme Court decision. However, on humanitarian grounds, we humbly appeal for your intervention to address our plight and allow us an opportunity to recoup our investments,” the group added.
The group requested that they be allowed to remain in their units while they defend their rights as innocent purchases for value and in good faith and who were not parties to the arbitration processes between BCDA and CJH DevCo and that the BCDA be enjoined to engage in dialogue with them with the aims of finding common grounds that benefit all parties.
While the group understands BCDA’ plant to operate the Forest Lodge the Manor as a hotel without residential units, they believe that their plan can be achieved without disregarding their rights as owners of their respective units. By Dexter A. See