Philippines High Court Reaffirms Decision that Clan Has to Sell Portions of Their Farm

Hacienda Luisita is one of the largest corporate farms in the Philippines. It spreads across several towns and Corazon Aquino’s Cojuangco clan runs that farm. The clan has been accused of trying to convert parts of the land to non-agricultural uses and then give its share croppers stock of share instead of giving up their land. 6,296 Hacienda Luisita workers are ready to buy small segments of several hectares.

In November of last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the clan was to sell 4,300 of the 5,000 hectares to its tenants for less than the clan’s asking price. The clan appealed, but the Phillippines’ highest court reaffirmed that order on Tuesday. The Department of Agrarian Reform is waiting to enforce this decision by carving up the clan’s farm. Hacienda Luisita lawyers and the Aquino government have noted that they will abide by the Supreme Court ruling, but they would like to read the decision in full before commenting further.

See Agence France-Presse, Philippines Ready to Carve up Aquino Farm, CBNnews.com, Apr. 25, 2012