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Thursday, September 29, 2005
Negros Oriental coco farmers group slams CBCP head
By Edmund Sestoso
A FEDERATION of coconut farmers group slammed the outgoing head of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and rival farmers group for what they described as "toeing" the Danding Cojuangco compromise agreement.
Alyansa Lubi of the Visayas region also lashed at CBCP outgoing head Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla for allegedly helping ensure the so-called amicable settlement or out of court agreement (Asca).
Eugene Quirante, liaison officer of the Philippine Peasant Institute (PPI) in Negros Oriental, said the coconut farmers chided rival farmers group Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahan ng mga Maliliit na Magniniyog sa Pilipinas (PKSMM) for allegedly allowing themselves to be used in giving credence to the scheme that, they said, would benefit only businessman Cojuangco.
Quirante urged to stop doing "consultations that only aimed at deceiving the farmers" into accepting the Asca scheme.
Alyansa Lubi has passed a resolution rejecting any ASCA and called on the Sandiganbayan to issue the writ of execution regarding the 27 percent shares of the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and return it to the farmers.
The Supreme Court has earlier defined the shares as part of the controversial coco levy funds.
The farmers also urged the Sandiganbayan to resolve the remaining 20 percent SMC block of shares claimed by Cojuangco without going into full-blown trial.
Aside from Capalla, the coconut farmers likewise scored chairman Camilo Sabio of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), and Efren Villasenior, PKSMM chairperson.
Quirante said the coco farmers alliance was saddened by the actuations of the outgoing CBCP head Archbishop Capalla who is perceived to be progressive and pro-people for singing the same tune since 2001 that of establishing a "moral dimension of an out court settlement to resolve the coco levy issue".
Worse, he said, that with Capalla is Sabio who had been making rounds for supposed consultations with the farmers.
Quirante criticized the "Capalla group" for trying to convince the farmers on "settlement" when the Sandiganbayan has already decided favorably for the farmers.
(September 29, 2005 issue)
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