John Hay exec held at NAIA, files raps vs immigration officers

MANILA, Philippines - A top executive of the private developer of Camp John Hay in Baguio City has filed criminal charges against immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who prevented him from leaving the country last May 11.

Robert John Sobrepeña, chairman of Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo), filed a complaint with the Pasay City prosecutor’s office for arbitrary detention and grave coercion against the Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers in NAIA who prevented him from boarding his flight to the United States, supposedly over the malversation charges filed against him by Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

Sobrepeña told reporters in Manila that the respondents – BI NAIA operations chief Benito Se Jr., BI supervisor Luzviminda Boto and BI officer Johnel Badua – should be held liable for preventing his flight even without a hold departure order issued by a court.

He said he was going to the US for a business trip and not to evade prosecution in the malversation case recently approved by the Department of Justice (DOJ), contrary to the reported allegation of BCDA chief executive officer Arnel Casanova.

“Those claims are outright lies filled with malice,” he stressed, adding that he had already informed the DOJ in a formal letter of his plans to travel to the US between May 8 to 18 ahead of the department’s approval of malversation charges. 

Sobrepeña branded his unlawful detention at the airport as a brazen display of the immigration officers’ abuse of power. He said they had the gall to violate his right to travel on the basis of mere verbal advisories from BI or DOJ officials.

The DOJ, which has supervision over the BI, approved the indictment of Sobrepeña and other CJHDevCo officials for their alleged failure to remit P121 million in earnings from 16 units of the Camp John Hay Manor Hotel and 10 units of the Camp John Hay Suites Hotel, which was supposedly meant as partial settlement of the CJHDevCo’s unpaid rent.

CJHDevCo belied the charges, saying the BCDA was reportedly harassing CJHDevCo officials. – With Perseus Echeminada