BUSINESS leader Pedro “Pete” Durano last Friday said he planned to sue Richard Middleton, the American operator of Bluejaz Waterpark and Beach Resort, for allegedly shooting at two of his (Durano’s) men. He said he had assigned the men to watch over his “floating” bar erected on the gulfwaters just fronting the Bluejaz resort.
This, after Middleton also claimed to have been shot at from the direction of Durano’s floating bar. Both parties, however, admitted to not having been hit by the gunshots that were fired sometime last Sunday.
Durano, a 72-year old retired banker, mango plantation owner and past president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., said Middleton’s published allegation that he was shot at by someone positioned at the floating bar was a blatant lie. He told reporters none of his men working at the bar carried a gun, much less had any reason to kill the American. He said the bar, which has not been operating for sometime, is being tended by a couple of watchmen who get paid for doing so.
Contrary to the American’s claim, Durano said his workers –Arnel Dailane y Owayan, 36, and Edsel Rollian y Cervantes, both residents of Caliclic, Island Garden City of Samal — saw Middleton actually grab the gun of a resort guard and fire it in their direction but, fortunately, missed.
He said Middleton wanted him to abandon the floating bar which is located within the foreshore lease area of Durano just in front of the popular Bluejaz resort.
Durano claims that the Bluejaz jetty is built on a portion of his (Durano’s) foreshore lease area and that he could have legally demanded for its removal were he a burokinto (litigious) person.
Background
Durano said he had built structures and other improvements worth P20 million inside what is now the Bluejaz resort, an area which was owned by the Philippine Veterans Bank before it was ordered closed and rehabilitated. That was the time when Durano was granted a lease agreement by the Central Bank of the Philippines, the receiver of the property after the Veterans Bank was suspended and underwent rehabilitation.
Later, another group took over possession of the property, prompting Durano to go to court.
Durano related certain incidents which occurred between him and Middleton’s group.
The latest could have been triggered when a guest of Bluejaz strayed into Durano’s floating bar. Durano’s property keeper reportedly told the guest that the bar was no longer part of Bluejaz. Pointing to a “No Trespassing” sign, Durano’s man reportedly asked the guest to leave.
Durano said the guest must have reported the incident to Middleton, who may have been enraged by the otherwise minor incident.
At another time, it was alleged that someone had fired an M-203 grenade at Bluejaz, but Durano denied having anything to do with it, adding that the grenade may have been fired from high ground behind the resort and not from the direction of his floating bar.
He said that aside from him. Middleton also has conflicts with the owners of the adjacent Paradise Island Beach Resort and a certain Atty. Bucoy.
