Furthering the 43-year Delay of Land Reform in Hacienda Luisita A Litmus Test for Noynoy Aquino Published on June 18, 2010

Furthering the 43-year Delay of Land Reform in Hacienda Luisita A Litmus Test for Noynoy Aquino

Published on June 18, 2010

 

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

When incoming president Senator Noynoy Aquino went on a vacation at his family’s sprawling domicile in Hacienda Luisita recently, the military deployment in the area grew more intense, said the locals. For Noynoy’s security, nightly patrols were conducted by armed troops in barangays within the 6,000-plus hectare hacienda.

But even after Aquino has returned to Manila, the troops stayed on, still patrolling the barangays of Hacienda Luisita up to this day. “We’ve gotten somewhat used to it,” locals told Bulatlat in Filipino, adding that while the presence of armed troops in their midst is not new, their increasing number today is. In Brgy. Balite locals said the 69th IB has stationed three military detachments and rented out houses for the troops.

In other barangays, there are detachments comprised of CAFGUs (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit) led by at least three military men per detachment. Some supervisors or top executives of the Cojuangco-Aquino-controlled Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT) have also joined the CAFGUs, noted the foreign election observers who went to Tarlac last May 10 elections. Added to these armed troops are the blue guards of the Cojuangcos.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat.com

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/06/18/furthering-the-43-year-delay-of-land-reform-in-hacienda-luisita-a-litmus-test-for-noynoy-aquino/