A Baguio court has once again denied the attempt of several sub-lessees of CJH Development Corporation (CJHDevCo) to prevent the full recovery of Camp John Hay by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
On February 5, 2025, Branch 79 of the Baguio Regional Trial Court (RTC) rejected the application filed by several foreign nationals who sought a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to stop the implementation of an arbitral final award. The award mandates the return of the 247-hectare Camp John Hay property, including all improvements, to the BCDA.
“This decision sends a clear message to all parties to respect the rule of law,” stated BCDA Chairperson Atty. Hilario B. Paredes. “We thank the officers at the Baguio Regional Trial Court and our law enforcement partners for their dedication in upholding the law. We also encourage all stakeholders to directly engage with the BCDA to understand their rights and remedies under the law, rather than being misled by misinformation from certain parties.”
Atty. Paredes further advised affected stakeholders to direct their claims to the parties with whom they signed their contracts.
This legal development follows the continued execution of the final award by the ex-officio sheriff, which began on January 6, 2025. The BCDA’s recovery of the property is in line with a Supreme Court decision from April 3, 2024, which invalidated a 2015 ruling by the Court of Appeals that had nullified the Writ of Execution and Notice to Vacate issued by Branch 6 of the Baguio RTC.
In its final ruling in October 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the arbitral final award, affirming that all improvements on the property must be returned to the BCDA without exception.
