BCDA says libel suit by firm is diversion

BAGUIO CITY—The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Wednesday said the P100-million libel suit filed against its board of directors by the developer of Camp John Hay skirts the real issue behind their contractual dispute.

BCDA, in a statement on Wednesday, said the libel case “is a mere smoke screen to cover up the real issue which is [the Camp John Hay Development Corporation’s or CJHDevco] nonpayment of its P3-billion lease [obligations] to the government.”

“There was no malice or falsehood in the notice it published in April 2012. The BCDA only acted in the performance of its duty to protect the public interest in Camp John Hay. Moreover, the notice was based on findings of facts, orders and resolutions issued by various government agencies,” it said.

CJHDevco, which is owned and chaired by businessman Robert John Sobrepeña, sued BCDA at the regional trial court here on Tuesday for posting a two-page advertisement in at least two newspapers on April 10 informing its clients of the company’s alleged business malpractice.

The advertisement informed CJHDevco’s unit owners and lease holders that BCDA had sued CJHDevco for fraud in March for relinquishing a log home to the agency to fulfill the debt settlement provision of a 2008 renegotiated lease agreement, without advising the government that it had been sold to Wilson Sy.

BCDA said CJHDevco’s failure and refusal to pay rent to the government for its use of Camp John Hay has increased its outstanding debt to P3 billion. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon