8/3/2019 Luisita Farmers: Victorious at Last!

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Luisita Farmers: Victorious at Last!(From The People‟s Press – December 2011)

Hacienda Luisita farmers belonging to the Farmworkers Agrarian Reform Movement (FARM – a groupof 1,245 farmer-beneficiaries of the sugar estate), together with their allies including the Project

Development Institute (PDI) and Foodfirst Informatin and Action Network (FIAN) held a thanksgivingcelebration inside the hacienda in Tarlac on December 4, 2011 for the success of the 22 years of struggle to

claim the land they have tended.

The thanksgiving celebration inside the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac.

Last week, the farmers were victorious in the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court to set aside thestock distribution option (SDO) at the vast sugar estate owned by relatives of President Aquino. In a56-page resolution promulgated 22 November 2011, and penned by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.,the High Court unanimously (14-0 in voting) ordered the distribution of 4,916 hectares of Hacienda Luisitalands to the original 4,296 farm-worker beneficiaries (FWBs). It modified its July 5, 2011 ruling orderingthe Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to hold a referendum to let the Luisita farmers choose betweenowning shares of stocks in Hacienda Luisita Inc. or getting portions of the more than 6,000-hectare estate.

The High Court also directed the Hacienda Luisita Incorporated (HLI) to pay the 6,296 farm workers a totalof P1.3 billion for the sale of the following portions of Hacienda Luisita:

- P500 million ($11.45 million) received by the HLI for the sale of 200 hectares out of the 500 hectarescovered by an August 14, 1996 conversion order;

- P750 million ($17.17 million) received by the HLI‟s subsidiary, Centennary Holdings, Inc. for the sale of the remaining 300 hectares from the 500-hectare land; and

- P80.51 million ($1.84 million) paid by the government for the sale of the 80.51-hectare lot used for theconstruction of the SCTEX road network 

8/3/2019 Luisita Farmers: Victorious at Last!

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 FARM chairman Renato Lalic

FARM chairman Renato Lalic said: “We‟re very happy that thedecision is favorable to us. We expected this. The Supreme Courtruled that the SDO was unprofessional. That‟s why we pressed onwith the fight. We were sure we were going to win. ‟‟ 

Aside from other non-government organizations (NGOs) andpeoples organizations (POs) allied with FARM, the thanksgivingcelebration was also attended by the Department of Agrarian

Reform (DAR) represented by Atty. Ayson Garcia, the NationalAnti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) represented by Chairman JoelRocamora, and the AKBAYAN partylist represented by Representative Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao.

Each organization gave a message of support for the victorious farmers. The speakers from the governmentagencies explained every aspect of the Supreme Court Decision including the “Just Compensation” aspect:“The Supreme Court has declared that the just compensation for Hacienda Luisita was the Nov. 21, 1989rate. At that time, a hectare of the hacienda was reportedly valued at around P170,000. Based on this guide-line, the DAR will have to check the 1989 rates, then it can decide how much is the just compensation.” 

Atty. Ayson Garcia of DAR NAPC Chairman Joel Rocamora AKBAYAN Rep. Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao

 Photos by: Ramon T. Ayco 

Atty. Christian Monsod speaking on the SupremeCourt Decision.

But according to former Comelec Commissioner ChristianMonsod, legal counsel of FARM and a guest in thethanksgiving celebration: “the 6,296 farmer -beneficiariesneed not shell out a single centavo for the P170,000 perhectare or P835.55 million „just compensation‟ for the4,915 hectares. The Supreme Court had ruled and orderedHacienda Luisita Inc. to give back the P1.33 billion inproceeds from the sale of some 580 hectares at the timethat the illegal stock distribution option was in effect. TheSupreme Court ruling cancelled out the payment of P170,000 per hectare. Technically, there will be no cash-out from the farmers.” 

“Based on the ruling, if the P1.33 billion proceeds would be returned to farmers, minus the P835.55 million just compensation, the Hacienda Luisita Inc. should end up paying the farmers the balance amounting toP495 million with the farmers not paying them a single centavo for the lands,” Monsod added. Written by

Ramon T. Ayco, Sr.; edited by Ms. Ely M. Santos