Church exec tells PNoy: Intervene in Luisita land row

A Catholic Church official urged President Benigno Aquino III to intervene in the land dispute over Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac province, instead of acting like “Pontius Pilate" on the case. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines National Secretariat for Social Action executive secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez said that even if President Aquino allegedly relinquished his share in estate, the dispute still involves his relatives. “(Aquino) is not only the president; he is also a Cojuangco (owner of the estate). He should ask his relatives to do what is right," Gariguez said in an article posted on the Union of Catholic Asian News website. He was referring to the clan of his late mother former President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. Members of the Cojuangco clan own the hacienda. Malacañang, however, insisted Aquino already divested his shares from Hacienda Luisita. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court ordered a referendum for the farmers in the plantation. It dismissed the stock distribution option offered by Hacienda Luisita instead of distributing the land to farm worker beneficiaries. But the high court directed the Department of Agrarian Reform to conduct another referendum to ask farmers if they want shares or ownership of parts of the 6,443-hectare estate. Farmers from the sugar plantation condemned what they called “judicial deception." Last Thursday, Malacañang said it will respect the SC decision involving on the Hacienda Luisita dispute. “We are not standing on the way of the decision if it becomes final and executory and whatever decision it takes," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told reporters at a press briefing. — LBG, GMA News