DESPITE SC RULING
[PHOTO - Farmers
protest. Hacienda Luisita farmers and their supporters march on the Supreme
Court in Manila to condemn its ruling that allows President Aquino's family to
offer stocks or land as part of the agrarian reform program. DANNY PATA]
MANILA, JULY 8, 2011 (MANILA
STANDARD) by Christine F. Herrera - PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III's
allies in Congress on Wednesday urged him to compel his relatives to distribute
the land in Hacienda Luisita despite a Supreme Court ruling that farm workers be
allowed to choose between land and stocks in the family-owned company that runs
the plantation.
Left-leaning and moderate lawmakers allied with the President who condemned
the Supreme Court decision pressed the President to "end the historical
injustice to farmers."
The hacienda's owners, however, said the Supreme Court decision was a welcome
development for all parties.
A spokesman for Hacienda Luisita Inc. said the operator of the sugar
plantation was willing to part with a significant portion of its land if farmers
chose land over stocks in the Court-ordered referendum.
"HLI believes in the rule of law," Tony Ligon told the Manila Standard.
"If the legitimate farmers want land, HLI shall abide by it. If they want to
continue as shareholders of the corporation, the same shall be respected."
But Anakpawis on Wednesday vowed to protest during the President's second
State-of-the-Nation Address on July 25 to reject the Supreme Court ruling.
The farmers said they were also prepared to boycott the referendum in
defiance of the Supreme Court order.
"I appeal to President Noynoy Aquino to persuade his family to spare their
farmworkers the ordeal of another referendum and the continued injustice of the
stock-distribution option," Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño told the Manila
Standard.
"He should ask his relatives to transcend their selfish interest and give the
farmers justice.
"This is a throwback to the Cory days when Hacienda Luisita first evaded land
reform through a sham referendum," Casiño said, referring to the President's
mother, the late President Corazon Aquino.
Akbayan called on the President to exercise "moral and political suasion" on
the issue to favor the farmers.
"If the Hacienda Luisita farmers cannot get justice from the country's court
of last resort or anywhere in this country, then we look forward to President
Aquino to justly dispense it," group spokeswoman Risa Hontiveros said.
Akbayan Rep. Arlene Kaka Bag-ao, vice chairman of the House committee on
agrarian reform, said the Supreme Court's decision usurped the powers of
Congress.
"The planned referendum serves as a lifeline for those who will benefit the
most from an undistributed Hacienda Luisita," Bag-ao said.
Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino said the Supreme Court decision highlighted a
justice system that served the rich, not the poor. With
Othel V. Campos and Maricel Cruz
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2011 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All
rights reserved
PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
