Who Have the Rights to Reclaim the Camp John Hay?

                It seems that the Bases Conservation Development Authority (BCDA) and John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) don’t want to make a dialogue with the local government of Baguio City. This was after the two agencies snubbed the requested meeting of the city council to talk about the problem in Camp John Hay. The local government wanted to reclaim the camp after the Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) will turnover it to the government.

                It is very obvious that the BCDA and JHMC are still tough with their position. They believed that local of government of Baguio can’t interfere with the issue in Camp John Hay. As I have learned, this was the ninth time that two agencies snubbed to the invitation of the city council. The city council emphasized that they have the rights to reclaim the camp. For them, Camp John Hay belongs to the local government and to the people of Baguio as well. The BCDA have a contract with the CJHDevCo and not with them. It means that all the improvements including lands should be return to the local government of Baguio.

                Mayor Domogon reminds the two agencies about their 19 conditions or known as Resolution Numbered 362, Series of 1994 that they had signed. From this resolution, it states about the segregation of the 13 barangays and their shares to the payment rental in Camp John Hay. Plus the provision of its own water source. These issues should be cleared before the developer leaves the camp. If not, for sure, the BCDA will just ignore the rights of the local government of Baguio. The BCDA has a debt with them; they are not still receiving their share from rental payment. The Baguio City is the great loser to the wrong decisions of BCDA that’s why they want to reclaim the camp. The local government is aware that they will not get benefits if they let the BCDA to manage it.

                Of course, BCDA President Arnel Casanova and the JHMC have personal interest to the camp. So, why they should cooperate with the local government of Baguio? Casanova is very tough with his belief that the agency has the sole rights to manage the camp. Maybe this issue will only be solved in a court battle. Don’t expect that the BCDA and JHMC would surrender easily about their position in Camp John Hay. 

The True Color of Arnel Casanova

                Do you know the personal background of Arnel  Pacasio Casanova aside from he is the current president of the BasesConservation Development Authority? Maybe you only knew about the trouble that he made in Camp John Hay. Do you know that this person has a good educational attainment? Not only that, he just came from a poor family in Batangas. But because he has an ambition, he surpassed the poverty. Is that inspiring? Of course, yes!

                In terms of educational background, Casanova graduated in UP Diliman with degrees in Emglish, Law and Urban Planning. He was a former scholar of World Bank; they were sent him in Harvard University to take Masteral degree in Public Administration. He served also as a professor in Ateneo de Manila University. Wow, that is very impressive! It only means that he is really an intelligent person.

                Casanova decided to enter in the government, to gain more wealth. I mean, to become a public servant. At first, he was just an officer in BCDA, but because he of his good performance he tend to become the head of that agency. Based on the report, he made a lot of development. He is the one who developed the former military camp in Taguig when he converted it as a business district. Under his leadership, he was also launched the Subic Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). This is a great help for those people who are travelling in that cities.

                Aside from being an educator and public servant, Casanova was also awarded as a peace advocate when he was only 25-year old. He helped the government to obtain peace in Mindanao when he negotiated with the Muslim rebels particularly the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

                The sad thing, it seems that Casanova forgot where he came from and what he had done in the past years. All of his efforts and good deeds in the past are nonsense because he already changed his ways. Instead to fight oppression, he becomes a law breaker despite the fact that he is an attorney by profession. He uses his power and connection to harass people like what he is doing now in Camp John Hay. He filed a cased against the Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDEvCo) which is the developer of the camp. He made a lot of allegations against the company just to evict them. His plan has been succeed when the court ordered the developer to leave the camp with one condition. The BCDA should pay them 1.4 billion pesos. The developer accepted the decision of the court; they are really willing to leave the camp. The only problem, Casanova is not yet giving the said amount.

                Casanova harassed the CJHDevCo by sending armed groups for them to leave the camp. But of course, the developer didn’t follow the order of the BCDA. Casanova tried also to evict the third parties in the camp. Thanks to the court, they released a TRO to stop the eviction order. Third parties felt that th BCDA are just using to them as a pawn with their conflict to CJHDevCo.

                 If I were P-Noy I will kick out him in his post. For sure, he has a strong connection to the president that’s why despite of his wrong actions in Camp John Hay, he is still a president of the BCDA.