Duterte had planned to veto coco levy trust fund bill, Zubiri says

President Rodrigo Duterte had planned to veto the bill creating a P100-billion coconut levy trust fund to be used for the benefit of 3.5 million farmers amid concerns of government agencies, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Tuesday.

Zubiri said the bill was initially scheduled to be signed into law by the President Tuesday but they learned on Monday that it was removed from the agenda.

"Pupunta kami dapat sa Malacañang ngayon para sa signing nung coco levy fund law pero kahapon nakita namin na na-scratch out sa list. I called Malacañang, binanggit sa akin na possible veto dito sa batas," he told reporters.

Zubiri said he then asked for an emergency meeting with the President to allow the senators to explain the bill.

"Sabi ko puwede ba kami mag-emergency meeting," he said.

The senators were able to meet Duterte around 6 p.m. Monday, before the Cabinet meeting.

Zubiri said had they not noticed the removal of the coco levy bill on the list, the President would have vetoed it.

He said Malacañang does not want that majority of the groups that will handle the fund are not from the government.

"Ayaw ng Malacañang na ang majority ng grupo na hahawak ng pondo ay sibilyan. Sabi nila the fund is entrusted to the government so they are treating it as a government fund. Therefore, yung composition dapat ng board na magbibigay ng pondo sa mga magsasaka ay dapat majority ay government offices," he said.

He said the Departments of Budget and Management, and Finance oppose the lack of sunset provision on the bill.

"Ayaw ng DBM at DOF na walang sunset provision 'yung competitiveness fund. Ilang taon ba, dalawang taon, limang taon, hindi pwedeng perpetual na ire-release sa mga magsasaka," he said.

Zubiri said that in an effort to salvage the bill, the senators agreed to recall the coco levy fund bill and convene the bicameral conference committee to input the amendments.

He said the Senate and House of Representatives will pass a concurrent resolution requesting the Office of the President to return the bill to Congress.

He said the bicam will meet 6 p.m. Tuesday. — RSJ, GMA News