Hacienda Luisita farmers hold rally vs referendum to settle land row

Hacienda Luisita farmers and supporters rally near Malacanang in Mendiola, Manila Tuesday to express their rejection of the Supreme Court’s decision that allowed the farmers to hold a referendum to settle the issue of ownership of the sugar plantation. Video by INQUIRER.net’s Danica Hermogenes

MANILA, Philippines – Hacienda Luisita farmers rallied in Manila Tuesday to express their rejection of the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision that allowed them to hold a referendum to settle the issue of ownership of the sugar plantation.

The Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Ayenda Luisita (Ambala) and United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) criticized the motion for reconsideration, which the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will file before the Supreme Court in connection with its 6-4 decision.

“We want land, not a referendum,” UMA leader Lito Bais told INQUIRER.net during the rally at Mendiola.

“The issue of Hacienda Luisita is an issue of his [President Benigno Aquino III] family against the Luisita farmers so when he said ‘hands-off’, he was like Pontius Pilate washing his hands,” Bais said.

He said the high court ruling favored the Cojuancos, Aquino’s family and owners of Luisita on the side of his mother, the late president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino. “No one is in favor of the farmers.”

Rodel Mesa, UMA secretary general, said that Luisita farm workers would file their own motion for reconsideration before the high court against the referendum and criticized the alleged “gross failure” of the high tribunal in dealing with the land dispute.

Mesa added that Aquino was just fooling the public when he said that he had nothing to do with the decision.

Bais said they would be holding more rallies.

The farmers said that the Cojuangcos knew that they were in a desperate situation.

Meanwhile, student activists from the League of Filipino Students (LFS) said they were throwing their support behind the farmers.

“Land reform issue is an issue of social justice, we are only concerned in the essence of democracy,” said Anakbayan youth national secretary general Charisse Banez.

“We are not farmers but we do our responsibilities as pag-asa ng bayan [hope of the country]”, she added.

Police Station 8 was on full alert to ensure peace and order in the area.

Police Officer 1 Renato Ramento said they have over 100 policemen deployed around Mendiola.

The protest ended at 12 noon.