I believe it is important for Sen. Noynoy Aquino to lay to rest any and all questions about the Hacienda Luisita massacre while also fulfilling his commitment to justly address the long pending claims of the remaining tenant farmers at the hacienda.
These words come not from one of the detractors of the leading president candidate in this May’s elections but from one of his own senator bets: Atty. Alexander ‘Pinoy’ Lacson.
It would be easy to dismiss the statement as a vote-getting quote but the way Mr. Lacson spoke those words at a no holds barred meet-up with bloggers – calmly, absent any bluster, and nary a thought pause – evoked the sincerity this writer seldom sees these days from people running for high office.
Asked if he would have considered being the defense lawyer of alleged Maguindanao massacre brains Andal Ampatuan Jr, Lacson replied:
While I believe an accused is entitled to counsel and presumed innocent until proven guilty, I would not, in conscience, take own the case given the welter of evidence that has surfaced in this most heinous crime.
On the long-running conflict in Mindanao:
The search for peace is a most arduous task. But we can never give up on the negotiations, on talking with our brothers no matter their persuasion.
I believe there is only one God, one Supreme Being.
He put us all here as Filipinos and nothing should divide us. We have one destiny.
The Negrense that he is, Alex Lacson, displayed intimate understanding of how the agrarian reform program has not really improved the lot of farners in Negros.
He decried not only the absence of long-promised support services – safety nets – for the sugar farmers:
It is tragic that up to 6-percent of the funds for agrarian reform are really used to support the unwieldy and inefficient Department of Agrarian Reform.
As the evening wore on Atty. Lacson detailed his reform-focused political vision anchored on his belief that the Filipino “can and should write his Bagong Istorya, a bright future buttressed by educational opportunities reaching out to all communities, of entrepreneurship and productivity that pro-Filipino, and pride for his history and culture.
The words emblazoned on his shirt said it all: Thank God I’m Filipino!
Note:
Lacson is the author of the bestselling book “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country” and the poem “I am Filipino”.
Godspeed, Atty. Alex!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Unarmed Farmers were massacred in Mediola during the term of his
mother. Just to protect their Hacienda Luisita. And teach these
unarmed farmers a lesson. Not to provoke the Aquino Family who owns
the property. Mr. Lacson just stated to forget about it? People lives
were lost in the massacre. Because these were poor farmers. Mr. lacson
has not value of their lives?
Mariano, I think you misunderstood. Atty. Lacson is actually calling on Sen. Aquino to condemn the killings and try to resolve the problems in Hacienda Luisita.
To condemn is nothing. What did Sen. Aquino did to give
justice to those farmers?
Mariano. Mariano. Mariano. Remember that on 1986 or during the presidency of Pres. Cory there are three faction – The Leftist [ Joma et al], The Rightist [RAM Boys et al] then the admin. But ok lets forget the conspiracy theories i may ask one question nalang “kukopyahin kaya ni cory ang mga pinaggagawa ni marcos noon?..
Let us read the comments of jojo and villarta in barriosiete.com.
Here it goes..
Sa mga makukulit na nagtatanong pa rin tungkol sa Hacienda Luisita issue
26 February 2010 13 Comments
From Engr. Jojo:
I am speaking as an Agrarian Reform Program Officer, SDO is a LEGAL provision of the law (RA 6657) or COMPREHENSIVE AGRARIAN REFORM LAW OF 1988 at saka hindi ito ipinipilit, in fact dalawang beses nag conduct ng Plebiscite sa HLI separately conducted by DAR and PARC, the latter is chaired by then President FVR. The first plebiscite was conducted by DAR to feel the pulse of HLI Workers after series of Orientations and consultation conducted on them, the second was confirmatory, the results: 92% and 94% respectively.
Alam mo ba kung sinong nagpupumilit na maipamahagi physically ang HLI sa mga beneficiaries na hindi iniisip ang kahalagaan ng Economies-of-scale sa isang export crop producing estate? ANG MGA MAKAKALIWA na dumedepende ng mass base sa maliliit na magsasaka.
Ang mga vast landholding na nagpoproduce ng Sugar ay ang ating buffer sources for sugar to comply with the Philippine Government’s international trade commitment RE: SUGAR QUOTA ngayong kung physically i-break-up mo ang mga landholding na tulad ng HLI na ang distributable ay 4,500 hectares to more than 6,000 farm workers magkakaroon ang bawat isa ng at least 3/4 of a hectare.
Now the questions:
1. Sa laki ng 3/4 of a hectare kaya kaya ng bawat beneficiaries na mag-produce ng sugar to the level of production ng isang contiguous wide area?
2. The Cojuangco Clan who owned the Sugar Mill will be left landless and having no captive raw material source for the Sugar Mill, do you think they will not close operation, and if that happen?
3. What will beneficiaries be planting in order to earn enough to sustain his family? Remember study shows that the economic size of a farm to sustain a family of five is 3 hectares.
4. What will happen to our Sugar Industry?
5. What happen when the Philippine Government can not comply with International Commitment of Sugar Quota? Renege?
If you can not provide rational answers to these questions you better not mention HLI issue anymore. That is a RECYCLED WASTE because you have nothing to throw at Noynoy Aquino.
Ang issue ngayon ay isinampa na sa Supreme Court to determine the validity of the Stock Distribution Option sa Hacienda Luisita, maghintay ka na lang ng Resolution.
From Dennis Villarta:
Common sense lang naman iyan pare, kahit pa congressman na si Noynoy or kahit presidente na siya or kahit si Gordon or kahit sino pang tao ay hindi pwedeng makialam sa isang bagay which was already binded by the law.
In civil cases , may tinatawag tayong “Doctrine of Privity of contract” , na nagsasaad na walang ibang party na maaring manghimasok sa contract kung hindi ang party involve lamang . Ang party concerned lang rin ang may karapatan na maghain ng reklamo kung may problema sa batas or kung meron mang paglabag sa kontrata. Besides , ito ay pribadong bagay na hindi maaring pakialamanan ng sinumang government officers or any other individuals outside the party concern.
Ang isang Kontrata, ay isang binding agreement at hindi ito maaring maging contract kung walang “Concurence of Will” between two or more parties and only the concerned parties to contracts should be able to sue to enforce their rights or claim damages as such .
Noynoy has promised that he will help convince HLI management in facilitating the distribution of land in 2013 if I’m correct, wherein tapos na ang contract and Noynoy or anyone may already have the legal rights to interfere sa problemang ito .
I hope na sana maging malinaw na sa inyo ito .
http://barriosiete.com/category/anti-noynoy-propaganda/
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From Philippine Daily Inquirer article.
Aquino: ‘We could have earned P3B if Luisita was sold’
By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:38:00 03/15/2010
Filed Under: Eleksyon 2010, Politics, Elections, Benigno Aquino III
MANILA, Philippines—Stung by criticisms about Hacienda Luisita, Liberal Party standard-bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on Monday said his family could have earned P3 billion from selling the large sugar plantation.
Aquino said the 4,500-hectare plantation could have been sold at P4.5 billion, with the real estate price of P100 per square meter, if his family did not care about the farmers and only worried about its interests.
“Our adversary portrays us as being rapacious about the land and we supposedly do not want to let it go but the truth is, if we sell this, which is part of the Agrarian Reform Program, we can sell the 4,500 hectares at P100 per square meter and get around P4.5 billion,” Aquino said in an interview on GMA 7’s morning show “Unang Hirit.”
“Seventy percent of that (or P3.15 billion) would be ours. The debts of the company would be paid, and there would still be a big enough amount left in the bank,” he added.
Aquino, who owns 0.04 percent of the plantation shares, said selling it would also remove Hacienda Luisita as a thorny “political issue” that has been used against his family since the presidency of his mother, Corazon Aquino.
“If we were only after our personal interests, we would have done that and the issue of Luisita would be over,” Aquino said.
In a previous interview, Aquino claimed that his family did not sell their interest in the plantation because they were worried if the new owners would still provide jobs for the farmers there.
“We just cannot say ‘You’re on your own.’ We cannot do that,” Aquino said, adding that if the plantation were sold, the new owners should also make sure that the farmers have employment.
The hacienda, however, is currently embroiled in a legal case that is still pending before the Supreme Court after the government declared as illegal the stock option scheme for Hacienda Luisita.
Aquino’s sisters also said that it was hard finding a buyer for the plantation because of its labor problems and large debt.
Read back: “I believe it is important for Sen. Noynoy Aquino to lay to rest any and all questions about the Hacienda Luisita massacre while also fulfilling his commitment to justly address the long pending claims of the remaining tenant farmers at the hacienda.”
Laying questions to rest means resolving the unanswered questions about who ordered the shooting of the farmers, that their deaths be given justice, along with the claims of the remaining farmer tenants.
I absolutely agree with Alex and have been saying this to the Noynoy people for some time now. Luisita and Mendiola r legitimate concerns and should be addressed. All human life is sacred, and not just the lives of the elite. I am hoping that, once the campaign ban is lifted, we will hear in substantive ways how these issues will be addressed, including land reform as a whole. For many Noynoy supporters, these r make or break issues as well.
Hi Lila.
I remember clearly some two months back how Noynoy was explaing he could not decide on Luisita alone and that he was holding a family meeting to sort the matter out.
He never told the public what happened.
Then news came that P84-M was earned by the Aquinos from the SCTEX right of way.
So how should the farmers feel?
Work also continues on the new industrial facilities thereat.
I’m waiting to hear what he says after Feb 11…
You mean May 11?
No, Ding — I mean for the campaign ban to lift so we can hear what he has to say. Moratorium pa raw ngayon ang mga statements, e, because I definitely asked…
he would not defend the ampatuans? what kind of lawyer is he? prejudging based on rumors and not on proper legal procedure? he will make a fine trapo.
and if all lawyers adopt his attitude, we would be in deep sewage.
@ Lila: Copy po.