DAR urged to distribute Luisita swiftly

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines–The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) should act with dispatch in the distribution of lands in Hacienda Luisita, a lawyer of a group of farm workers said Wednesday.

“There will be no more reason to delay the implementation of the Supreme Court decision,” said lawyer Jobert Pahilga, executive director of Sentro Para sa Tunay na Repormang Agraryo (SENTRA).

The Supreme Court by a unanimous vote of 14 Tuesday ended a decade old land dispute and ordered the distribution of 4,915.75 hectare sugarland to farmers and fixing the valuation for just compensation to 1989 value of the land.

“It is very important for the DAR to act immediately so that the farmworkers will reap the fruit of their long and arduous struggle. The farmworkers must immediately benefit from their hard-earned victory,” Pahilga said.

While they lauded the Supreme Court ruling, Pahilga said they are still hoping that justice will be given to the victims of the Hacienda Luisita massacre.

In November 2004, seven farmers demanding changes to land laws and better wages were killed near the plantation’s gates.