The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) is now calling for the resignation of Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chair Camilo Sabio for saying that he is open to a compromise agreement on the P130 billion-coconut levy fund with Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. He is also accused of using PCGG sequestered companies as milking cows to enrich favored people.

According to Ka Willy Marbella, internal deputy secretary general of KMP, “we will no longer wait for another attack on coconut farmers rights, we are now asking for Sabio’s resignation from the PCGG, it is obvious that he is not looking after the interest of the small coconut farmers as well as Filipino taxpayers.  It seems that the PCGG now is becoming the Judas of coconut farmers. Camilo Sabio is wasting the work of former PCGG chair Haydee Yorac in returning the entire P130 billion coco levy fund to its rightful owners, the small coconut farmers. Our position is no to any compromise deal,”

“Just as we feared Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through her newly appointed lackeys in the PCGG and the United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) are now jostling and salivating to get the coco levy funds. More than anything else what we coconut farmers want is justice. We want those who fooled us and used the funds for their own interest to rot in jail. What Sabio is proposing is anathema to the formation of the PCGG itself,” added the peasant leader.

“Sabio and Bishop Fernando Capalla are essentially exonerating the high and mighty crooks especially Danding Cojuangco, who stole the money from us. We will not allow this to happen,” said Marbella. 

“What we propose is the creation of a body composed of genuine small coconut farmers to manage and handle the funds ourselves so that we can ensure that it is used for the betterment of our sector and the coconut industry. In fact a bill   is already in Congress regarding this body and we hope that it will be fast-tracked,” ended Marbella. # # #
 

KMP - 21 December 2005