The city government is finalizing the case it will file anytime to compel the State-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to turn over to it the 247-hectare John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ) due to the latter’s alleged failure to remit the accumulated share of the city and the termination of the lease contract between the State corporation and its former developer, the Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo).
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said government legal officers are conferring with other legal luminaries to ensure that the case will be air tight that will mandate the BCDA to already turn over the declared economic zone to the city.
Magalong claimed the case will be filed as soon as the legal officers shall have finalized the case so that the legal process will proceed as expected.
Earlier, the mayor announced the desire of the city to lay its claim over the JHSEZ after it failed to remit the city’s accumulated share from the lease rentals and the termination of the lease contract pursuant to Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 that prescribed the 19 conditions imposed by the city for the proposed development of the former American rest and recreation center.
Rep. Mauricio G. Domogan proposed that the city government should anchor the case on condition No. 16 of Resolution No. 362 series of 1994 that mandates the BCDA to turn over to the city government the JHSEZ and all introduced improvements without any condition following the lapse of the lease agreement between the State corporation and CJHDevCo.
Domogan pointed out the Supreme Court decision that resolved the long-standing dispute between the BCDA and the CJHDevCo already resulted to the termination of the lease agreement which compels the state – owned corporation to turn over to the city the leased area and its improvements.
Domogan coordinated with the city’s legal department to contribute his insights on the matter in preparation for the eventual filing of the case against BCDA which he fully supports considering the contents of Condition No. 16 as enshrined in the 19 conditions that were previously imposed for the development of CJH in the mid-1990s. Baguio City PIO release