Luisita panel holds hearing tomorrow

The Department of Justice has ordered the Hacienda Luisita management and leaders of the sugar estate’s farmer-tenants to appear in tomorrow’s hearing of the validating committee tasked to determine whether the stock distribution option (SDO) scheme forged in 1987 should be cancelled or not.

The SDO arrangement was agreed upon during the administration of former President Corazon Aquino as an alternative to placing Hacienda Luisita under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Justice Undersecretary Ernesto Pineda said he has subpoenaed the management and farmers’ group of Hacienda Luisita to attend the hearing.

Pineda, who chairs the seven-man validating committee earlier created by the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC), said the panel would make a decision on the Hacienda Luisita issue two days after the hearing.

He said his panel has to resolve whether to uphold the recommendation of acting Agrarian Reform Secretary Nasser Pangandaman to cancel the SDO scheme of the Cojuangco-owned sugar estate or not.