The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called for the immediate lifestyle checks on all officials and employees of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) following reports that the commission’s officials are using sequestered companies as milking cows.

  According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “this is indeed very alarming and symptomatic of the corruption in the present regime. If the PCGG officials do have a clean conscience then they should undergo a mandatory lifestyle check. Those who will be found leaving beyond their means should be sacked and slapped with criminal charges,”

“The PCGG was supposed to be created to go after the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth as well as their cronies, but now it seems that the stolen wealth are again being stolen from the people. The sequestered wealth should have been returned to the people especially us farmers, who constitutionally should be its rightful beneficiaries but up until now no help has reached us,” added the peasant leader.

“The recent revelations regarding the PCGG today, is reminiscent of what happened just a few months ago with Rolando Golez, president of the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) who was splurging the money of the small coconut farmers, he has resigned from office since then but we want justice,” said Marbella.

“We want heads to roll in this case, because it seems that it is alright for government officials to plunder our coffers and when they get caught is only meted with a slap on the wrist. The Macapagal-Arroyo administration is really reeking in corruption, and we want justice served now” ended Marbella. # # #

KMP - 14 December 2005