Palace sees early Supreme Court ruling on Luisita labor case

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said it expects an early Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the labor row over the Hacienda Luisita sugar estate of the family of president-elect Benigno Aquino III.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said Chief Justice Renato Corona’s order to review the long-standing case was prompted by requests from affected parties and should not be linked to the animosity between the SC chief and Aquino.

“We trust that it will be processed appropriately and expediently by our justice system,” Olivar said of the case.

“It’s good to have a healthy tension between the two branches of government. That somehow acts as a stabilizer,” he said when asked whether he thought the review of the case would only heighten tension between Aquino and Corona.

“But we should give credit to these two gentlemen and I’m confident that they will rise above whatever personal issues they may have,” he said.

“I expect they will not behave less than appropriately when it comes to this case,” he said.

Aquino does not recognize President Arroyo’s last minute appointment of Corona to the top SC post.

Olivar said Corona has ordered a review of the four-year-old temporary restraining order on the distribution of the sugar plantation to farmers in accordance with the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

He noted that Corona was just responding to an appeal “that was properly filed by a group representing the employees of the Hacienda so it’s given due course and we expect that this will be properly processed by the Supreme Court.”

He also appealed to the public not to speculate as to what prompted Corona to order a review of the case.

“I see no reason to read anything more into this incident, into this filing than what it has already been reported in the papers,” Olivar said.

“We get into the habit of prejudging people based purely on speculative (judgment) with not a shred of evidence behind this speculation,” he said.

“This doesn’t help our system at all and of course is not fair to the people involved, in this case, the Chief Justice and the President,” he said.

Doing his job

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. lauded Corona for ordering a review of the case.

“Corona is showing that he’s not afraid of Noynoy,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said Corona is sending a strong message that he is independent.

Sen. Francis Escudero, Senate representative to the Judicial and Bar Council, expressed belief Corona was only doing his duty when he issued the order.

“Justice Corona merely did his job,” Escudero pointed out.

Even Aquino’s spokesman said it’s the prerogative of the SC to have the Hacienda Luisita case reviewed.

“It is a judicial matter. The decision belongs to the other branch of government,” Edwin Lacierda said.

He said it would be up to Aquino’s relatives to answer the case since the president-elect owns only one percent of the corporation.

Lacierda stressed it was Aquino’s campaign promise to distribute the land. Asked whether he thought Corona’s move was a political vendetta, Lacierda said he could not tell.

Aquino was locked in meetings with his prospective Cabinet members and his transition team and could not immediately give his reaction.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak called to congratulate Aquino but his staff said only he could discuss the details of their conversation. 

Angry leftist farmers

The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, meanwhile, warned of peasant unrest unless Aquino does something significant for land reform.

“The peasant struggle would further intensify under the incoming Aquino administration as he is not promising any fundamental reforms on the serious problem of landlessness of Filipino farmers,” said KMP secretary-general Danilo Ramos.

“At present, there is an increasing trend of land-grabbing, dislocation and land use conversion as CARPer nears its one-year implementation on Aug. 7,” he said. CARPer stands for Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program extension with reforms.

He cited alleged attempts by Laguna policemen to demolish a farmers’ outpost guarding against illegal cutting of coconut trees in Hacienda Yulo, Barangay Canlubang in Calamba, Laguna.

The 500-hectare coconut plantation is reportedly being eyed by the Yulos for conversion into a high-end eco-tourism site.

In Pangasinan, policemen also tried to demolish a farmers’ community in Barangay Tebag West, Sta. Barbara town being claimed by a certain Humberto Solis.

In Malaybalay, Bukidnon, the administration of the Central Mindanao University allegedly threatened to drive farmers away if they do not pay higher rent.

In Barangay Tungkong Mangga, San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan, soldiers are reportedly trying to drive away farmers occupying lands being readied for an MRT project. – With Aurea Calica, Christina Mendez, and Rhodina Villanueva