Camp John Hay property owners seek President Marcos intervention
MANILA, Philippines — A group of more than 60 private unit owners and investors at Camp John Hay in 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 Marcos, 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. (CJHDevCo) 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.”
“However, with the Supreme Court (SC) 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.
According to the group, their current plight stems from the long-standing legal dispute between the BCDA and the CJHDevCo. While the SC 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.
“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 SC 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.