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BAGUIO CITY — The city’s Municipal Trial Court Branch 5 has dismissed the criminal charges filed by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) against two executives of Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevCo).
Exonerated from charges of deceits were CJHDevCo chairman Robert Sobrepeña and Fil-Estate Management Inc. executive Ramon Jimenez, citing the prosecution’s failure to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The case, originally filed as syndicated estafa under Presidential Decree 1689, was downgraded by the Office of the City Prosecutor to a minor offense of “other deceits” under Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
The downgrade followed a prosecutor’s resolution dated Aug. 22, 2025, which found no evidence of organized fraud or criminal intent committed by CJHDevCo officials in relation to the operation of Camp John Hay.
During the arraignment on Sept. 11, 2025, Sobrepeña and Jimenez entered a plea of not guilty. The court subsequently ruled in favor of dismissal, affirming that the prosecution failed to prove the crime charged.
CJHDevCo welcomed the decision, stating: “The absence of essential elements led to the dismissal of the syndicated estafa charge, its reclassification to a lesser offense, and ultimately, the absolute dismissal of the complaint.”
“This legal development reinforces CJHDevCo’s longstanding position that its transactions were lawful, transparent, and conducted in good faith,” it added.
Earlier this year, BCDA regained control of Camp John Hay following a Supreme Court decision that upheld a 2015 arbitral ruling.
While the lease agreement with CJHDevCo was rescinded, the Arbitral Tribunal clarified that CJHDevCo retains the right to keep all benefits and monetary interests received — deemed as compensation for BCDA’s use of CJHDevCo’s rental payments over several decades.
The arbitral ruling also recognized the validity of third-party developments within Camp John Hay, allowing them to remain in place until 2047.
The Court of Appeals and subsequent Supreme Court decisions did not dispute this provision, thereby preserving the rights of investors and stakeholders.
