SC ruling on ‘Luisita’ due for release, spokesman confirms

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court decision on Hacienda Luisita was scheduled for release Tuesday but was delayed after some justices failed to submit their opinions on time, spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said in an interview on Radyo Inquirer Wednesday morning.

Confirming the banner story of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Marquez said the SC decision on Hacienda Luisita was “really in the agenda in the en banc session” held Tuesday.

Supreme Court spokesperson and Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

“Actually, talagang lalabas yan kahapon. Kaya lang di lumabas dahil may hinintay pa tayong opinion ng ibang mahistrado [it was really scheduled to come out yesterday. But it didn’t come out because they were waiting for the opinion of the other magistrates],” he said.

Marquez said the HL decision has been due for release since two months ago.

A Philippine Daily Inquirer source said the High Court was set to decide with finality, on a motion for reconsideration to redistribute the 6,000-hectare sugar plantation owned by the family of President Benigno Aquino III, to some 6,296 farmer-worker-beneficiaries.

According to the source, majority of the justices had voted to direct the ” total distribution” of the Hacienda Luisita estate, to the farmer-worker beneficiaries.

In July, the high tribunal upheld the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) revocation of the stock distrbution option at HL, to allow the farmers to vote again on either land ownership or shares of stock in the Hacienda Luisita Inc (HLI).

The Alyansa ng Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) also filed a motion for reconsideration before the high court.

Owned by the Cojuangco family, Hacienda Luisita was among the agricultural lands set for redistribution to landess tenant farmers under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) promulgated by then President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino in 1988.

In the same year, HLI was incorporated, allowing the distribution of shares of stocks among farmers-beneficiaries in lieu of land. In an 1989 referendum, more than 90 percent of the farmers-workers opted for shares of stocks instead of land.

In 2003, HL farmers claimed the stock-ownership did not improve their lives. A strike led to a violent dispersal that left at least seven workers dead.

For the full interview with Supreme Court C spokesman Midas Marquez, listen to Radyo Inquirer 990AM.