Farmers group wants Luisita issue resolved

Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) on Wednesday called for verification of the latest Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) report on the awarded portions of land in Hacienda Luisita to farmer beneficiaries in light of the impending eviction of 800 families from the 6,453-hectare sugar plantation in Tarlac province.

On Feb. 18, families living in Luisita’s Barangay Central were served notices of eviction by Central Azucarera de Tarlac, a company run by businessman Martin Lorenzo, which is claiming ownership of the property where the families’ houses had been standing for about 50 years.

The families were given 60 days to vacate the property.

The eviction notice came despite the DAR’s announcement that it would distribute this year 41,077 ha of land to 31,132 agrarian reform beneficiaries.

UMA said the DAR had submitted to the Supreme Court its 10th report of compliance to a 2012 court resolution placing 4,916 ha of Luisita land for distribution to 6,300 beneficiaries. —Mariejo S. Ramos