Group challenges Poe to shed Danding ties in addressing coco levy issue

A group advocating good governance on Thursday urged presidential aspirant Sen. Grace Poe to set aside her political affiliation in addressing the issue of the disposition of the multi-billion coconut levy fund.

The Filipino Alliance for Transparency and Empowerment (FATE), through its president Jennifer Castro, expressed fears that Poe might be unable to address the decades-long coco levy issue considering that her presidential bid is being backed by businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco, who has been accused of using the fund for his own interests.

Castro pointed out that Poe had failed to push a bill that was meant to create a fund for coconut farmers.

The group said that Poe should have looked into the plight of the coconut farmers being the vice chair of the Senate committee on agriculture.

"Businessman Danding Cojuangco should not be glorified in this issue. Poe, instead, should ask the High Court to once and for all, resolve the issue on the non-release of the decades-long funds," Castro said in a statement sent to justice reporters.

In June 2015, the SC stopped the implementation of two executive orders issued by President Benigno Aquino III covering the P93-billion coconut levy fund.

The temporary restraining orders, requested by the Confederation of Coconut Farmers Organization, were against EO 179 and EO 180.

In EO 180, Aquino directed the concerned agencies to secure the government’s rights and interests when it comes to the coco levy assets. In particular, the Office of the Solicitor General, the Presidential Commission on Good Government, and the agencies under the Department of Justice (DOJ) must file the proper pleadings to safeguard the government’s interests and rights to the coco levy fund.

The government agencies were also directed to deposit the coco levy assets with the Bureau of the Treasury.

EO 180 was issued in March 2015, three months after the SC issued a final judgment which allowed the government to use the coco levy fund.

In EO 179, the PCGG was tasked to coordinate with other government agencies to identify all known coco levy assets lo later than 60 days when the order takes effect.

On Thursday, Castro advised Poe to carefully go over the history of the coco levy fund mess which was unearthed 30 years ago.

Coconut farmers belonging to the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas had earlier assailed Poe over her stance on the coco levy fund, saying their case will be forgotten in the event that she is elected president.

The group claimed that under Poe’s “Gobyernong Walang Iiwan” policy, coconut farmers would be left out to protect the interests of Cojuangco.

The controversial fund came from taxes imposed on coconut farmers during the Martial Law years by alleged cronies of then President Ferdinand Marcos – including Cojuangco, the uncle of President Benigno Aquino III.

From an initial estimate of P9.695 billion in 1986, the PCGG noted in its latest report that the coco levy funds have since ballooned to P93 billion. — APG, GMA News