The largest and most militant peasant organization in the Philippines the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) posed this question to Malacanang after a spate of resignations of government officials concerning the coco levy funds.

  According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary of the group, “first Malacanang fired Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) chair, Evangeline Valbuena, then they pressured Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Haydee Yorac to resign, the P150 billion question is who is next? It seems that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her ilk are hell-bent on getting their greedy hands on the coco levy funds that they would not allow anyone to stand it their way,”

“As we can see also all key government posts where the coco levy funds are handled are now occupied by patent operators and bagmen of Gloria. The Department of Agriculture is under Sec. Arthur Yap, while the PCA chair is now Jesus Paras, who both are pushing for the highly controversial P8.4 B coco hybrid project in Agusan del Sur. The regime really wants to plunder the coco levy funds,” added the peasant leader.

As for his part Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP, “these soft elimination of those critical or opposed to Malacanang plan to get the funds will cause a heightened isolation of Malacanang even from high ranking government officials. Coupled with the recent resignation of other top ranking bureaucrats like retired Brig. Gen. Victor Corpuz  and Ched chairperson Rolando dela Rosa OP, as well as the jueteng scandal Mike and Mikey Arroyo these factors may work for the further weakening of Macapagal-Arroyo’s grip to power,”

“Because of her greed and anti-people policies Gloria is the primary cause of her impending ouster,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 30 April 2005