SC won't yet stop raffle system in Luisita distribution

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court did not stop the "tambiolo" system used in distributing the farmlands of Hacienda Luisita but asked the government to comment on a petition filed by the farmers.

Acting on the urgent motion filed by Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita, the high court asked the government to comment on the petition of the farmers asking to stop the land distribution by raffle system and to allow collective ownership of the land.

The SC has given the government 10 days from notice to comment on the motion.

In their petition, the farmers urged the SC, among other demands, to order the Department of Agrarian Reform to clarify the basis of the survey of the land and to explain the discrepancy in the number of hectares for distribution to the farm worker-beneficiaries.

The petitioners argued that the allocation of the lands by raffle has denied them the opportunity for collective ownership of the land which, according to them, is allowed under Section 4, Article 13 of the Constitution and Section 25 of Republic Act 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.

The motion said: "Section 22 of RA 6657 clearly mandates that lands placed under the coverage of the agrarian reform program should be distributed to the beneficiary of the same barangay where the land is located.

It said that In the raffle system system, it may happen that one farm worker-beneficiary will be awarded a parcel of land located far away from his place of residence.

The DAR has started the raffle of farm lots, which was made open to the public last month and the allocation is expected to be completed by August 21.