Camp John Hay owners seek Marcos intervention to implement SC decision

BUSINESS AS USUAL In this photo taken on Jan. 6, it is all quiet and business as usual inside CAP – John Hay Trade and Cultural Center after the takeover of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority at the start of the year. —NEIL CLARK ONCHANGCO
MANILA, Philippines – A group of more than 60 private unit owners and investors in Camp John Hay, Baguio City, has appealed to the government to allow them to remain in their units and engage in a dialogue with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to resolve their predicament.
In a letter addressed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., sent through Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the Camp John Hay Private Owners for Justice emphasized that they are in an “urgent and dire situation” due to the enforcement of a writ of execution issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 6 of Baguio City. Notices have reportedly been posted on the doors of their units, putting them “in imminent danger of being evicted without due process of law.”
The Camp John Hay Private Owners for Justice is composed of over 60 private unit owners and investors of The Forest Lodge, The Manor, Forest Estates, Country Homes, Golf Estates, and Forest Cabins in Camp John Hay.
“As a background, we are innocent purchasers for value and in good faith of these properties sold to us by Fil-Estate Management, Camp John Hay Development Corp., or by third parties who had earlier purchased properties from them,” the group explained in their letter.
The group further stated that they bought the units “based on the understanding, with proper documentation, that we have rights to our properties until 2046.”
Article continues after this advertisement“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,” they added.
Article continues after this advertisementAccording to the group, their current plight stems from the long-standing legal dispute between the BCDA and the Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo). While the Supreme Court decision resolves the contractual issues between these two entities, the group noted that they, as third-party buyers who were not part of the arbitration process, 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,” they said.
The group highlighted that these properties are more than just financial investments. “They are homes where we intended to spend our retirement years in peace,” the group said adding that for others, the properties are sources of livelihood through rentals and tourism.
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“Some of us have even exhausted our life savings to purchase and renovate these units. Now, we are being asked to ‘pack up and leave,’” they lamented.
The group described incidents of harassment, including one case where a unit owner’s baby and house help were still inside when their door was sealed. They added, “Some properties have already been locked with notices to vacate posted, leaving us immensely anxious during these times.”
While acknowledging BCDA’s claim to Camp John Hay based on the Supreme Court decision, the group appealed for the President’s intervention to help them recover their investments.
“We respectfully request that we be allowed to remain in our units while we defend our rights as innocent purchasers for value and in good faith, and who were not parties to the arbitration process between BCDA and CJHDevCo,” they wrote.
They also called for BCDA to engage in dialogue to find a mutually beneficial solution. “We ask that the BCDA be enjoined to engage with us in dialogue with the aim of finding common grounds that benefit all parties,” the group added.
The group appealed to the President’s “compassion and leadership” to address their concerns.
“As law-abiding citizens and investors who acted in good faith, we trust in the government’s commitment to protect and serve its people, as well as foster its international reputation for fairness and equitable treatment of all stakeholders,” the group concluded.