Camp John Jay exec cries harassment over criminal case filed by BCDA

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 10 years ago

The luxurious Manor at Camp John Hay. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—A senior official of the Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) on Thursday branded as harassment the filing of a complaint for estafa against him by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

“This is another purely harassment case by BCDA president Arnel Paciano Casanova against CJHDevCo chairman Robert Sobrepeña. This appears to be a personal vendetta, an example of how selective justice works while denying Mr. Sobrepeña due process of the law,” CJHDevCo executive vice president and COO Alfredo Yñiguez III said in a statement Thursday.

The case stemmed from a 1996 lease agreement between CJHDevCo and BCDA that was eventually restructured in 2000.

“BCDA, which was headed at that time by chairman and president Rogelio Singson, cited the reasons of the restructuring. In fact, there was a board resolution from BCDA which outlined the reasons for their restructuring. This all happened around 14 years ago, and they are only raising the issues now,” Yñiguez asked.

He said the timing of the decision is suspect as he noted that the decision on the arbitration will be out within the next 30-60 days.

The public-private partnership project to build an 18-hectare tourist-oriented commercial hub is now in the last stage of arbitration, Yñiguez said.

He said court hearings in Baguio City have ended and a three-man panel is now deliberating CJHDevco’s petition to reform the contract and adjust payments in light of BCDA’s defaults.

“Our partner should just let arbitration decide and live up to the terms of our contract,” he added.