The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) continued its demand for the resignation of Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF), president Rolando Golez, and added that the high living official should return all that he spent of the coco levy funds. 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary of KMP, “ small coconut farmers have fought for the coco levy funds for decades and it is the highest injustice that someone who has no stake at it is the one benefiting from it. It is but right that Golez return the portion of the funds that he spent, even he resigns, if  not then we will file charges against him.

“His resignation will not be enough and we will pursue all legal means for him to be punished. Let this serve as a warning to all greedy government officials, particularly the one handling the coco levy funds, do not even touch it ” added the peasant leader.

Meanwhile Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of the group “as for the CIIF, it is also time that a milking cow of regime and a bane to small coconut farmers be taken for what it really is and be abolished. It has been used as a cover for spending the coco levy funds and its records will show who the biggest culprits are,”

Former Presidential Commission on Good Government chair Haydee Yorac exposed that the CIIF, particularly its president Rolando Golez spent P19.5 M for vehicles, used P960,000 for club expenses and P2 million for his traveling expenses. This he did while only 16 months in office.

“With this scenario our vigilance in guarding the coco levy funds really needs to be heightened especially now, that vultures of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime are circling the much coveted funds,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 7 May 2005