SC rejects farmers’ bid to stop Luisita proceedings 09/15/2010

SC rejects farmers’ bid to stop Luisita proceedings
09/15/2010
Thousands of farmers working the Cojuangco family controlled Hacienda Luisita suffered a setback before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday after the tribunal turned down the motion filed by Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita (Ambala) to scrap the ongoing mediation proceedings between the hacienda’s management and beneficiaries.

Retired SC Associate Justice Alicia Austria Martinez, who heads the three-man mediation panel created by the court to help both parties come up with an amicable settlement to end the decades long land dispute, said the magistrates denied Ambala’s petition during their regular en banc session held every Tuesday.

Aside from turning down the motion to suspend mediation proceedings, the court also asked the Ambala to participate in the arbitration proceedings.

Hacienda Luisita spokesman Tony Ligon told reporters that the mediation proceedings are scheduled to resume next Monday.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100915nat1.html