Estafa raps filed vs John Hay lessee

MANILA, Philippines -  Former House deputy speaker Eric Singson has filed six cases of estafa against top officials of the Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo) for allegedly defrauding him and his companies over the establishment of his commercial properties at Camp John Hay in Baguio City.

Singson, representing the Stern Real Estate and Development Corp., Meehan Cellars, and Ilocos Coastal View Resorts, is asking for almost P72 million in damages.

He filed his affidavit of complaint against CJHDevCo board chairman Robert John Sobrepeña, senior vice president Gulshan Bedi, marketing agent Thelma Launo, and chief executive officer Alfredo Yñiguez at the Department of Justice in Manila last April 23.

Singson’s three companies own and operate the Filling Station restaurant complex and Le Monet, which opened only last February, at Camp John Hay.

Meanwhile, heads of all 14 barangays covering the 247-hectare Camp John Hay have demanded the replacement of the Catalina Security Agency, which was hired by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), for alleged “harassment, intimidation, threat and other forms of provocative acts.”

“Concerned barangay officials and ordinary citizens encountered unpleasant and fearful experiences with the security personnel of Catalina Security Agency in various occasions,” read a two-page resolution signed by the 14 barangay heads.

The barangay officials led by Barangay Hillside chairman Ferdinand Bucad protested what they alleged to be the “lack of proper training and orientation on human relations and other diplomatic means” by personnel of the security agency.

They urged the BCDA to instead hire employees from Baguio City, and La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan and Tuba towns in Benguet.  – With Edu Punay