Lacierda: No Luisita talk in SONA as case pending in SC

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Hacienda Luisita, the controversial estate owned by the President's family, was left out in the State of the Nation Address (SONA) because the case is already pending in the Supreme Court. "Yung sa Luisita, nasa Korte Supreme na (Regarding the Luisita issue, it is already in the Supreme Court)," Lacierda said when asked to respond to observations that President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III did not mention it in the SONA he delivered on Monday. Hacienda Luisita is a 6,435-hectare plantation estate in Tarlac, owned by the Cojuangco family, which includes the late President Corazon Aquino and her son, the incumbent President. One of Aquino's biggest campaign promises was to ensure the distribution of the Cojuangco family's sprawling estate, of which he holds a minority stake. However, the president did not mention the issue in his SONA, prompting militant groups like Bayan Muna and Anakpawis to state that agrarian reform does not seem to be among Aquino's priorities. The Supreme Court has yet to lift the temporary restraining order on the sugar estate's distribution that it issued in June 2006. The high court, however, has said the case is "ripe for a decision" so it is likely to be tackled within the year. Lacierda assured the public that the president will later on tackle issues he failed to mention in his speech. "Maraming bagay na kung sasama mo sa SONA talagang hahaba at hahaba. Pero alam ng pangulo kung ano mga mahalagang gawin at dapat gawin nitong taon na ito (The SONA will be further lengthened if you include many other things. But the president knows what needs to be done this year)," Lacierda said, adding that the criticisms of Aquino's SONA were "expected." In his 36-minute speech, Aquino exposed the supposed excesses of some officials in the Arroyo government that left many of the country's funds depleted. He reiterated his campaign promise to end corruption. Lacierda said the Justice department has been tasked to investigate the officials alluded to in Aquino's speech so charges can be filed if necessary. "Inatasan si Sec. [Leila] de Lima sa SONA na kung may anomalya, imbestigahan at kung may sapat na ebidensya, magsasampa po ng kaso sa appropriate agencies (Sec. De Lima was directed in the SONa to investigate anomalies and to file charges before the appropriate agencies if there is sufficient evidence)," said the Palace spokesman. — Jam Sisante/VVP, GMANews.TV