MANILA, Philippines - Militant farmer groups led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) have expressed support for the farmer-beneficiaries of the Hacienda Luisita estate who have rejected the mediation of the Supreme Court (SC) in striking a compromise deal between them and the Conjuangco-Aquino family to resolve the agrarian dispute.
“It is very disturbing that the highest court in the land could not uphold the legitimate claim of the farm workers in Hacienda Luisita,” said Danilo Ramos, secretary general of KMP. “Legally and morally, the Cojuangco-Aquinos have no claim to the lands since 1957 and yet the high court is echoing the mechanics of the sham compromise deal of the Cojuangco-Aquinos last Aug. 6.”
He said unless the SC revokes the stock distribution option (SDO) and distribute the lands to the farmers, the decades-long dispute would continue.
“The justices grilled the lawyers of Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI) and found out that SDO was not favorable to the farm workers. SDO never treated the farmworkers as owners, they were only given wages as payment for their labor,” Ramos said.
“Lands were converted without the consideration of the farm workers.”
He said the proposed mediation by the SC circumvents the previous oral arguments, which center on the continuation or revocation of the SDO.
“The oral arguments were to ascertain whether SDO should be revocated (sic) or not, but the SC took the path of mediation, atypical and bound to discount the oral arguments. It is like running in circles or turning the farm workers’ heads around,” Ramos said.
“The issue of Hacienda Luisita is a model agrarian dispute in the country. Farmers have the legitimate claim of the lands but powerful and influential landlords kept control for decades, using the state’s machineries such as executive agencies and its military and police, lawmaking bodies and the courts,” he added.