THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has prevented the Camp John Hay lessee, Camp John Hay Development Corp. (CJHDevco), from proceeding with its alleged plan to cut 1,033 trees inside the former US military facility in Baguio City.

BCDA President Arnel Paciano Casanova said the Sobrepeña-led CJHDevco has sent 10 applications for permits for tree-cutting and earthballing that will affect 1,033 trees in John Hay.

These applications, Casanova said, are included in the documents that CJHDevco submitted to the government and are now pending at the one-stop action center (Osac) of John Hay Special Economic Zone (JHSEZ).

Casanova said this is beyond the authority of the BCDA and should be coursed through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“We want to comply with environmental laws,” Casanova said in a statement. However, CJHDevco wanted us to exceed our authority by demanding that we approve their pending tree-cutting permits. When  we did  not give in to their demands, which may expose us to legal  liabilities, they unilaterally rescinded the [lease] contract and are now claiming an atrocious amount of P14.4 billion from government.”

He said it is CJHDevco that owes the government P3.024 billion, and has used the pending applications at the Osac as excuse to evade its ballooning obligations.

“Now their flimsy excuse is backfiring on them,” he said.

Recently, the DENR issued a cease- and-desist order for the cutting of trees inside the JHSEZ. The order is based on Executive Order 23 issued by President Aquino on the moratorium on cutting and harvesting of naturally grown trees since John Hay contains one of the biggest remaining pine forests in Baguio.

The  John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), BCDA’s estate manager in the JHSEZ, reassured the public that the DENR issued  no permits for tree-cutting and earthballing despite CJHDevco’s demands.

According to Osac records, a total of 1,033 trees will be affected if CJHDevco’s pending permits were approved. Of these, 520 trees will be cut and 513 will be earth-balled.

Except for the tree-cutting permits, the Osac has issued a total of 89 permits in 2011. Of these 89 permits, 59 were issued to CJHDevco and its sub-lessees.

Casanova said Ayala Land Inc. and other JHMC locators did not have any problems in acquiring their permits.