Duterte ‘betrayed’ coconut farmers, group says

A coconut farmers’ group on Monday criticized the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to exercise his veto powers on the proposed Coconut Levy Trust Fund bill.

“Kataksilan ito sa magniniyog,” Kilusan para sa Ugnayan ng mga Samahang Magniniyog (Kilus Magniniyog) claimed in a statement.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier vetoed the proposed bill to create a P100-billion trust fund for the benefit of some 3.5 million coconut farmers.

The group also said that they see Duterte’s move as siding with the interests of the few who was behind the coco levy scam and not with the interests of farmers suffering from poverty.

Duterte disagreed with some provisions of the bill that are, according to him, susceptible to corruption.

Kilus Magniniyog believed that that bill would not only give coconut farmers the benefits of the coco levy fund but also have their voices heard on how to use and manage the fund.

“Sapagkat kung mayroon mang tunay na nakakaalam sa sitwasyon ng mga naghihikahos na magniniyog, walang iba iyon kung hindi kami mismong galing sa sektor,” the group said.

The coconut levy fund came from taxes collected from coconut farmers during the late Ferdinand Marcos’ administration.

Supposedly, it should be allocated to projects for coconut farmers. But, it was used buy a large percentage of the United Coconut Planters Bank by Marcos’ crony and San Miguel Corporation chief Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr.

“Sang-ayon sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema, ang kaperahan at ari-arian na galing sa coco levy scam ay naging pag-aari ng gobyerno, at maaari lamang gamitin para sa kapakinabangan ng lahat ng magniniyog at sa pagpapaunlad ng industriya,” the statement read.

Kilus Magniniyog lamented that Congress removed the creation of Trust Fund Committee in their version.

“Kung mayroon mang natutuwa sa lantarang pag-amyenda at pagbasura sa Coconut Farmers’ Trust Fund, ito ang iilang nanguna sa coco levy scam na silang may impluwensiya pa rin hanggang sa ngayon, at hindi ang mga naghihirap na mga magniniyog,” the group claimed. —Joviland Rita/VDS, GMA News