Preamble
WHEREAS, the Philippine Coconut Authority (Authority) was created by P.D. No. 232 to integrate and coordinate the then diffuse efforts of the Government of promoting the accelerated growth of the coconut and other palm oil industry; WHEREAS, the experience accumulated by the Authority in the performance of its delegated duties indubitably affirms the wisdom of the national policy of making the coconut farmers direct participants in, beneficiaries of, all the aspects of the development and growth of the coconut and other palm oil industry; and WHEREAS, to make more meaningful the participation of the coconut farmers in the resulting benefits from the growth and development of the industry and to re-affirm the intention of the Government in restricting its role therein to the performance of purely governmental functions and in allowing the coconut farmers to own coconut commercial and industrial enterprises there is an imperative necessity of accordingly re-structuring the various laws that have been enacted to promote the rapid development of the industry and integrate said laws into a single codified law; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby decree and order the following: SEC. I. Whenever any person or entity willfully and deliberately violates any of the provisions of this Act, or any rules or regulation legally promulgated hereunder by the Authority, the person or persons responsible for such violation shall be punished by a fine of not more than P20,000.00 and by imprisonment of not more than five years. If the offender be a corporation, partnership or a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed on the officer or officers authorizing, permitting or tolerating the violation. Aliens found guilty of any offenses shall, after having served his sentence, be immediately deported and, in the case of a naturalized citizen, his certificate of naturalization shall be cancelled.