Sunday, October 12, 2008 Transparency in Camp John Hay deals pressed By Rimaliza Opiña
FOLLOWING the recent complaint lodged by residents of Barangay Scout Barrio, who said they are being given the runaround in claiming the deeds of absolute sale of their properties, an official here said the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) should be more transparent in its transactions.
Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas issued the statement amid reports that the forested portion of the barangay was part of the leased area to Ayala Land Inc.
"It is turning out that the BCDA is dictating the kind of rules that they want," said Fariñas.
City officials labored for the approval of the 19 conditions that prescribed rules for the development of Camp John Hay, hence this should be followed, he added.
He said officials of Baguio should at least be informed or consulted of transactions entered into by the BCDA.
Pressed if he intends to pursue his earlier media pronouncement that the CJH monitoring committee should be revived in view of the recent developments, Fariñas said the plan would push through, but fell short of mentioning when this will happen.
Residents of Scout Barrio earlier decried the manner by which the BCDA subsidiary, John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), processes their deeds of absolute sale (DOAS). They claimed that the JHMC has been imposing rules that hampered the (previously) efficient processing of their DOAS.
Scout Barrio, which forms part of the Camp John Hay reservation, was declared as a housing site in 2001 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Through Executive Order 64, it was declared that the lots presently occupied by the residents may be awarded to them, subject to certain conditions.
The JHMC management vowed to give their comment on the controversy, but no statement has been issued yet as of Saturday.
