JHMC urged: Stop blocking, harassing Baguio residents

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city government has urged the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) to open all roads to allow passage of motor vehicles and residents in all barangays within the Camp John Hay reservation including trucks loaded with construction materials intended for household and livelihood projects of the barangays.

At the same time, city officials asked acting city police director Senior Supt. Ramil Saculles to investigate and dismantle any obstructions placed along said roads and arrest those harassing or preventing residents from using the national highway in the said barangays.

               The city council recently approved Resolutions No. 109 and 110 for said purposes after receiving complaints from residents on various incidents where they were refused entry to the area by security personnel who set up checkpoints along the national and barangay roads.

“Allegedly, on 09 and 10 March 2017, security personnel of (JHMC) installed a checkpoint and refused the entry of A truck loaded with construction materials along the national road towards Happy Hallow Barangay.  Said construction materials were for the implementation of a livelihood project of the barangay.  However, despite the presence of barangay officials and policemen to intercede, entry was denied,” the boy noted in Resolution 109 based on the motion of Councilor Michael Lawana.

“On 15 March 2017, at 4:30 p.m. the truck driven by Mr. Joselito Dizon loaded with construction materials was not allowed to enter the barangay even after seeking the assistance of barangay officials and policemen.  At this instance, one security guard tried to hit Mr. Dizon but missed. The truck is still in the area and cannot be removed because it is blocked by the security personnel.”

The body said it is important to note that the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) for Happy Hallow Barangay, which covers 146 hectares, was awarded in 2010 and this should be respected based on Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.

The aldermen also sought to remind the JHMC of Resolution No. 48 series of 2005 where a report was incorporated that the JHMC “represented by its legal counsel Atty. Lyssa Pagano-Calde agreed to maintain status quo and held in abeyance the scheduled demolition of structures.

Two consultations were held and it was found that there was a previous agreement before this council that there will be no demolition of old structures but no new structures shall be allowed to be built although necessary repairs can be done through a request coursed through the Barangay Captain of the area who shall forward it to JHMC and the Office of the Local Chief Executive who should be working hand in hand in this particular concern of protecting the area.”

Because similar incidents took place, the city council adopted Resolution No. 167 series of 2012 which urged the JHMC to comply with the recommendations of Councilor Nicasio Aliping Jr. to relieve the security personnel involved in then inciden and for the JHMC not to allow and tolerate the abuses of its security personnel.

“John Hay Management Corporation shall take full responsibility of the actions of its security personnel which may be deemed violative of laws, norms, morals, and various legislative measures adopted by the (council),” the body said.