Luisita lawyer asks for more time from SC

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer representing the management of Hacienda Luisita said they filed a motion for extension of time before the Supreme Court (SC) so that they can finalize and submit a pleading concerning the distribution of land to more than 6,000 farmer-beneficiaries.

Antonio Ligon said the filing of time extension aims to clarify with the High Court the issue of just compensation as well as what awaits the remaining 4,000 farmers not cited in the SC decision.

He said the 4,000 other farmers should also benefit from the ruling, aside from the original 6,296 beneficiaries.

“Apart from the 6,000-plus beneficiaries, the 4,000 farmer-workers should also be considered – who are mostly relatives of those in the original list who also helped and worked in the sugar estate,” he said.

In all, more than 10,000 farm workers should be entitled to parcels of hacienda land, Ligon said.

The appeal asks for a 10-day extension starting Dec. 10 until Dec. 19.

“That is counting from the time we received our copy of the ruling last Nov. 25, 2011,” Ligon said.

He said they have been engaged in a series of meetings with the management and even farm workers after the SC ruling on Hacienda Luisita came out.

Ligon did not elaborate on what kind of pleading they will be filing before the SC.

The SC earlier junked a stock option deal for Hacienda Luisita and ordered Hacienda Luisita Inc. to distribute close to 5,000 hectares of land directly to 6,296 farmers in accordance with the 2005 order of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council.