Militant peasants hit Luisita compromise deal!Cojuangcos are again using divide and rule tactics

August 5, 2010| Reference: Felix Paz, chairman KMP-Bikol and national council member, KMP | The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) hit the compromise deal now being floated by the Cojuangco clan regarding the distribution of Hacienda Luisita. Reports have come out that President Aquino’s family has reached a settlement under which farmers in its Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) will be given the option to retain shares of stock in the corporation or secure parcels of land from a third of the 6,500 hectare plantation up for distribution.

According to Felix Paz, chairman of KMP-Bikol and concurrent national council member of KMP, “this is obviously a divide and rule tactic being employed by the Cojuangcos to break up the resolve and unity of the farm workers in the hacienda. With this so-called compromise deal harassment and intimidation of farm workers will again increase in the hacienda because as the Cojuangcos did when they proposed the stock distribution option (SDO) they intimidated farm workers to get what the clan wants,”

“It is like in the case of Hacienda Peralta and Hacienda Berenguer in Sorsogon, the landlords used violence to frighten the farmers and farm workers. The landlords also used legal tactics for harassment like filing trumped up charges against peasants just to evade land distribution,” added Paz.

“The Cojuangco clan is also avoiding to talk with the legitimate representatives of the United Luisita Worker’s Union (ULWU) and Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Luisita (AMBALA) the main and largest groups that have called for the scrapping of the SDO and for the distribution of the hacienda. The clan knows that the position of ULWU and AMBALA remain the same and that it is the return of the land to the farm workers. The Cojuangcos are talking not with real representatives of the farm workers, either the ones they talked to are those that they already co-opted or opportunist groups that are trying muddle and cash into the issue,” said the peasant leader.

“The landlord family is again trying to pull a fast one as they did during Cory’s time and we will not fall for it. Pres. Noynoy should rein in his family members who are trying to perpetuate feudal relations in the country and should just return the land to its rightful owners. What we farmers and farm workers are fighting for is not only for land but also for social justice and our struggle will continue until this is achieved,” ended Paz. # # #