Aquino dared to distribute Hacienda Luisita, junk SDO By Charlie V. Manalo 07/23/2011

Aquino dared to distribute Hacienda Luisita, junk SDO

By Charlie V. Manalo 07/23/2011

Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano yesterday joined the broad Inter-faith rally of farmers, church people and other sectors in Manila to call for the immediate distribution of Hacienda Luisita and the junking of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO) used by the President’s family, the Cojuangco-Aquinos, to gain further control over the 6,453-hectare disputed sugar estate.

Mariano dared President Aquino to make good his promise to distribute Hacienda Luisita and stop his family’s more than five-decade legacy of land grabbing in Tarlac.

“Luisita’s distribution is long-overdue. Farmers and farm workers have suffered enough. Social justice must be served,” Mariano said.

He added farmers and farm workers will boycott the Supreme Court-mandated referendum in Luisita. “We will not allow a repeat of the 1989 and 2010 referendum where the Cojuangco-Aquinos, in collusion with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), arm-twisted the farmers in choosing between land and shares of stocks. Farmers will continue to fight for their rightful share in the lands,” said Mariano who led the Anakpawis contingent at Liwasang Bonifacio..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20110723met1.html