The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), together with Samahan han Gudti ng Parag-uma ha Sinirangan Bisaya (SAGUPA-EV) assailed the Leyte Coalition of Development of Non-Government and People's Organizations (Leyte-Code) position supporting Charter change now. 

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “Cha-cha now is just a diversionary tactic of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration, so that the allegations of electoral cheating and corruption against Gloria would be glossed over. Leyte-Code is playing into the administration trap by issuing a support statement for the Cha-cha,” 

“Besides, a change from the presidential to federal form of government is not the answer to solve the basic problems confronting our nation. Our country’s problems basically stems from the concentration of the resources and wealth in the hands of a few while the majority suffer. The few is represented primarily by those in government and even if we have a federal system as long as the ruling class are still the ones occupying the seats of power, the rottenness of the political system will remain the same and even aggravate,” added the peasant leader.

“The answer to our problems now is to oust Gloria at the soonest time possible and form the transition council that will be composed of the major forces involved in the ouster campaign as well as representatives from the basic sectors like the peasants and workers who comprise, 90 % of our population and the primary ones suffering form this oppressive system. The transition council will be tasked to implement sweeping reforms for the benefit of the majority like amoratoriumon land use conversions, scrapping of the EVAT and the Oil Deregulation law,” said Marbella.

Meanwhile Ka Lito Gacusana, secretary general of SAGUPA-EVthe regional chapter of KMP in Eastern Visayas said, “We are wondering why is it that this group only came out now, because we have never heard of them before. We hope that they were not formed to prop up the wobbling Macapagal-Arroyo regime, because if that is the case then they are just being used by the administration,”

“The members of Leyte-Code should be wary because unscrupulous agents of the regime may have infiltrated their ranks, and skillfully manipulating them to sound more as a pro-Gloria group,” ended Gacusana. # # #

KMP - 3 August 2005