John Hay developer files damage suit vs BCDA over print ad

MANILA, Philippines - The private developer of Camp John Hay in Baguio City filed yesterday a criminal complaint against officials of the Bases Conversion Development Authority in connection with their conflict over the BCDA’s attempt to take over the leased property.

Represented by former solicitor general Francisco Chavez, Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) vice president for litigation Manuel Ubarra Jr. and his colleagues accused BCDA executives of deliberately maligning their reputation in a paid advertisement in a newspaper that accused them of “double sale of a log home in Camp John Hay.”

The complainants demanded P100 million in damages from BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Paciano Casanova and board directors Felicito Payumo, Zorayda Amelia Alonzo, Teresita Desierto, Ma. Aurora Geotina Garia, Ferdinand Golez, Elmar Gomez and Maximo Sangil.

In the complaint, the CJHDevCo accused the directors of violating Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code.

The BCDA’s paid ad stated: “The Government, through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), wishes to inform unit owners of the Manor Hotel, Suites Hotel, Log Homes, Cottages and other properties in Camp John Hay, Baguio City, that: BCDA filed a criminal case for estafa (swindling) against Robert John Sobrepena (sic) and other officers of the Camp John Hay Development Corp. for the double sale of a log home in Camp John Hay.”

The BCDA had also alleged that the “property was given by CJHDevCo as payment-in-kind to BCDA as part of the settlement of its debt which now totals P2.9 billion. CJHDevCo deliberately and fraudulently withheld from BCDA the fact that it had previously sold the property to another party.”

Just last week, CJHDevCo had filed before Manila prosecutor’s office a complaint for perjury against Casanova for misrepresenting facts in filing the estafa complaint against its officials before the Department of Justice last March.