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Thursday, November 24, 2005
SpeakOut: Coco farmers’ worries
By Herminio Lavina
Spokesperson, Alyansa Lubi-Visayas
SMALL coconut farmers were saddened to learn that three members of the Board of Directors of United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) representing the farmers have been asked by Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Chairman Camilo Sabio to resign without any clear basis at all.
The three farmer representatives must have incurred the ire of an Unseen Manipulator. Sabio may have become a pawn, knowingly or unknowingly. Of course, he was seen going around with some people, brazenly convincing the farmers to compromise their 20 percent share in San Miguel Corp.
The three directors must have trampled on some holy feet again. They earlier opposed the settlement plan for Danding Cojuangco’s P6.6 billion financial obligations to UCPB. The plan was to sell part of the 20 percent SMC shares. The proceeds will then be used to pay for Danding’s financial obligation.
In this scheme, Cojuangco will therefore be paying his financial obligation not with his own money but with part of the 20 percent SMC share held in trust by the government for the coconut farmers. Maro talaga!
We are supporting the move of the three UCPB directors to oppose this manipulative and deceptive financial settlement plan. And we are strongly asking the three representatives not to resign.
The new appointees “chosen” and “recommended” by Sabio were never in the struggle for the recovery of the coco levy since 1983. And they could be supporters of the compromise agreement proposed by some people.
Who will now protect us from the evil ones? Onward with the struggle!
(November 24, 2005 issue)
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