Due to lease violations on the part of GFTG Holdings Corp., the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) repossessed Grand Island in Subic Bay, according to a news report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Grande Island is a historic island located several kilometers away from the shores of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The island used to be Fort Wint (American military defense point) and through the decades, it became a US naval resort and even as a processing site for foreign refugees. Grande Island today is a tourism location accessible by boat. For the Philippines, Grande Island is considered strategically important as it provides a clear view of sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of the PDI. Some parts in boldface…
Grande Island has been repossessed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) following the pre-termination of its lease with GFTG Holdings Corp., an SBMA official confirmed on Tuesday.
Lawyer Melvin Varias, SBMA deputy administrator for legal affairs, said the takeover stemmed from the SBMA Board’s October decision to cancel GFTG’s lease for failure to meet development obligations. A notice of pre-termination was served, giving the company 60 days to vacate the property.
The notice of repossession was issued on Jan. 5, and the actual takeover took place on Jan. 9, Varias said, noting the schedule was adjusted due to the holidays.
GFTG has since sought reinstatement of its lease, with its appeal now under review by an SBMA board committee.
Grande Island drew national attention last year after Chinese nationals were arrested there for alleged surveillance activities involving drones and naval monitoring. Authorities seized firearms, fake documents, and electronic devices containing photos and videos of Philippine and US naval assets in Subic Bay.
Following the arrests, the Department of National Defense proposed converting Grande Island and nearby Chiquita Island into military reservations, citing national security concerns. The SBMA, however, opposed the move, noting the presence of existing tenants and locators on the islands.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you glad that the SBMA took back Grand Island given its high value as a tourism spot as well as being a highly strategic site related to developments in the West Philippine Sea? Were you surprised that Chinese nationals were caught in Grande Island for spying on Philippine and American naval assets?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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