Cruz presenting contradictory ‘facts’—Casanova
This letter is in response to Neal H. Cruz’s May 31 column titled “This Casanova is not a lover but a bully.”
In the column, Cruz went through a laundry list of my alleged “bullying” tactics, and since I have already publicly addressed these questions, my letter will focus on a topic that Cruz seems hell-bent on digging up. I am referring to Poro Point, and my alleged involvement in its takeover.
Cruz has written about this topic three times in the last seven years—presenting glaringly contradictory “facts.”
• In his Aug. 18, 2006 column (“Smoking guns at Poro Point”), Cruz reported that I, as BCDA’s legal counsel then, had come out with a legal study which concluded “that there is no legal basis for a BCDA takeover of Poro Point from the private investor.” He was correct in reporting this.
• Six years later, however, in his Feb. 3, 2012 column (“Gunfight at the Camp John Hay Corral?”), Cruz completely reversed his previous report, declaring that I “must be a brilliant lawyer to be able to convince leaders like Abaya and current BCDA Chair Felicito Payumo to take high-risk moves like armed turnovers.”
• This was an outrageous reversal made by Cruz. He went from presenting me as being against a takeover to being the brains behind it! We sent a letter to the Inquirer’s late publisher, Isagani Yambot, to air our grievances.
• Shortly thereafter, in his Feb. 20, 2012 column (“Camp John Hay owes BCDA P3B”), Cruz made yet another turnaround, as he shared excerpts of my letter to the Inquirer. He wrote that “For his part, Casanova said it was ‘impossible’ for him to participate in the 2006 Poro Point takeover ‘because I could not have been physically present at Poro Point. I was already in Cambridge, Massachusetts at the time, taking my master’s degree in Harvard University’.”
• In that same column, Cruz also wrote: “Casanova said he took exactly the opposite view in a legal opinion as early as 2004, ‘stating that a takeover could not be justified and (I) asserted that the BCDA should honor an existing and valid contract’.”
• But in his latest column, Cruz misrepresented the facts once again, as he strongly implied my involvement in the Poro Point takeover—which conveniently led to his conclusion that I am indeed a “bully”!
Cruz’s bizarre pattern of alternating between facts and falsehoods is truly worrisome, showing negligence in checking his facts and sources. I have never even met Cruz, nor has he reached out to me to hear my side on these issues.
We fervently hope that this letter can enlighten Cruz, and help him see the truth.
—ARNEL PACIANO D. CASANOVA, ESQ.,
president and CEO,
Bases Conversion and
Development Authority
