The Hacienda Luicita massacre has been seen as a first real test of character to President Benigno “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino’s candidacy and now for his credibility as a newly elected president.
The Hacienda Luicita massacre of November 16, 2004, along with the shooting of farmers on June 22, 1987 protest, an incident better known as Mendiola massacre, these two incidents represent the dark side of Aquino legacy.
The truggle between farmers and landowners of Hacienda Luisita, whose family has owned the land since 1958 began when government lenders obliged the Cojuangcos to distribute the land to small farmers by 1967, a deadline that came and went. Pressure for land reform on Luisita since then reached a bloody head in 2004 when seven protesters were killed near the gate of the sugar mill in what is now known as the Luisita massacre. This is the story of the hacienda and its farmers, an issue that is likely to haunt Aquino as he stand as a president.
And now, what does Noynoy Aquino doing in the most controversial issue surrounding Noynoy and his family– The issue of Hacienda Luisita and land distribution to farmers.
A lot of people think that one reason CARP failed is because of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO). Also, it is seen that the SDO has been able to keep farmers out of their land. The main beneficiary, seem to be your very own family. And in the end, farmers still receive barely anything from what they have put into Hacienda Luisita. Does he think this is right & what will he do different as president that will give the balance of power & justice towards the farmers?
Aquino made a simple statement in relevance to the issue during the time of election campaign; he made it clear though that he only owns less than 1% of Hacienda Luisita. The farmers have been with the Aquino family for decades. They wouldn't want to burden the farmers by selling the land to them. The farmers are good at tilling the land but they are not businessmen. Hacienda Luisita land is also still in debt, how would the farmers be able to pay it without much experience in managing the land? Noynoy also said that there are currently 10,000 farmers. If they distribute the land as is, 1 farmer can only own less than 1 hectare, and also not all of the land will be equal in terms of fertility. There's nothing a farmer can do if a non-fertile land was given to them.
Noynoy stressed that if they wanted to be selfish, they could just easily sell the land, possibly getting Php 4.5B without worrying about debt or his image in the 2010 elections.
P4.5B = P100 per square meter x 10,000 square meter per hectare x 4,500 hectares
But according to Noynoy, the Aquino family treats the farmers like their own family (they were workers since 1958). With that, they would want to transfer the land to them debt-free. Noynoy Aquino even gave a timeline that by the year 2014, the land will be fully transferred to the farmers. Noynoy already asked his extended family to find means to transfer the assets free of debt. While this is being worked on, they will follow what current agrarian reform program has. He said that 70% of Hacienda Luisita is still owned by the Aquinos/Cojuancos while 30% will be paid as stock dividends to the farmers.
One very worrying statement that Senator Noynoy Aquino said when he said the fact that his family still considers SDO as an option. And yet, Risa Hontiveros has stated during the election that as president, Noynoy will implement CARPER fully.
Noynoy is understandable and how he may actually want the best for the farmers, but there are too many issues, and even some discrepancies in statement and actions that still does not have convinced many people if the issue of Hacienda Luisita will be resolved in his presidency. Even in his answers, knowing full well that this issue has been ongoing, does not give concrete action plans as to how to transfer the land to the farmers (without debt), if indeed that is the end goal of his family.
It is more impressing if this issue were resolved even before he sought the presidency, at least we would know how much more he would be able to do it as a president
SOURCES:GMANEWS.TV/PHILIPPINE ONLINE CHRONICLES
