Farmers back PCGG-Danding compromise

An alliance of coconut farmers and workers said yesterday that the coconut farmers’ sector is solidly behind the proposed compromise settlement with San Miguel Corp. chairman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco on the 27-percent share in SMC owned by coco farmers.

Efren Villaseñor, chairman of the 750,000-strong Pambansang Koalisyon ng mga Samahan ng mga Magsasaka at Manggagawa sa Niyugan, said in a statement that at least 96 percent of coconut farmers and workers’ groups are in favor of the settlement after a series of regional consultations last year.

"There is no split among coconut farmers on the issue of a compromise settlement with Danding Cojuangco. The overwhelming majority of them, as evidenced by our consultations last year, are for compromise settlement. Those opposing it are not coconut farmers but (non-government organization) people who consider themselves coco levy advocates," Villaseñor said.

He lashed out at Danilo Ramos, secretary general of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), for opposing the settlement.

"He might be a farmer but he cannot be a coconut farmer. He hails from Tarlac and Central Luzon is not cocoland. He has no right to speak for us legitimate coconut farmers. In any case, I challenge him and all anti-settlement (advocates) to a public debate anytime as long as it is without the presence of Ka Roger (Rosal), Communist Party of the Philippines spokesman," Villaseñor said of Ramos.

Presidential Commission on Good Government Chairman Camilo Sabio has been pushing for the compromise deal to fast-track the distribution of assets to the coconut farmers since it could be years or decades before the court case is resolved.

Villaseñor noted that the proposed settlement is not the first such deal made over a government-sequestered asset. During the administration of former President Corazon Aquino, the government returned Manila Electric Co. and ABS-CBN to the Lopezes.

The Aquino administration, with then executive secretary Joker Arroyo, could have done the same with the coco levy if it cared as much for the coconut farmers as it did for the Lopezes, Villaseñor claimed.

It would not be the first deal regarding assets illegally purchased with coco levy funds, he added.

The first compromise with Cojuangco, according to Villaseñor, was made by Arroyo himself when the Aquino administration agreed with the SMC chair that the issue be resolved through court litigation.

The second compromise was made during the same administration when the PCGG, under then chairman David Castro, agreed that the government will contest only 27 percent out of the original 31-percent shares on behalf of the coconut farmers, Villaseñor said.