Make kin cede estate, Aquino told

MANILA, Philippines—The social arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCP) of the Philippines on Saturday challenged President Benigno Aquino III to make good on his promise of a transparent, “patronage free” and “pro-poor” governance by compelling the Cojuangco family to which he belongs to transfer Hacienda Luisita to its farmer-beneficiaries.

“It is time to give back to the farmers, who have been living a hand-to-mouth existence for over five decades,” said Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, chair of the CBCP National Secretariat for Social Action, in a statement Friday.

Pabillo noted that while a “historic” decision by the Supreme Court nullified the constitutionality of the stock distribution option and ordered the immediate transfer of the land to its rightful owners, the sugar estate has remained undistributed.

The high tribunal ruled in favor of the farmers on Nov. 22, 2011, but the Cojuangcos filed a motion seeking a reversal of the decision.

“At the outset, we urgently appeal to the high court to order the immediate transfer of land titles to the Republic of the Philippines as an initial step,” Pabillo said.