Noynoy’s “country before self” slogan meaningless on Hacienda Luisita, SCTEX

As the campaign period nears this February 9, the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) said the Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s slogan of “country before self” is meaningless on the Hacienda Luisita and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway project. The group added that his line “hindi ako magnanakaw” is historically false as his family has snatch not just millions or billions of earnings but lives and futures of families of farmers and agricultural workers in Hacienda Luisita. Noynoy being a congressman and senator has never made efforts to uplift the lives of those who worked on the lands, instead he served as the “loyal knight” or main protector of the Cojuangcos’ landlord interests.

Inutile for agri-workers
“Poor farmers and agricultural workers in Hacienda Luisita never benefited on Noynoy Aquino, worse, his family has deprived them of just living conditions. A public official who has no concern of the welfare of his subordinates but himself defended the massacre and served as an oppressor does not have the right to lead the country as president,” said Danilo Ramos, KMP Secretary-General, in a press statement.

“At present, Hacienda Luisita is militarized, with military detachments at most of the barangays, in Bgy. Balite, elements of the military from the Northen Luzon Command (Nolcom) occupy the very public structures of the barangay,” said Ramos.

“Noynoy Aquino does not even oppose militarization in Hacienda Luisita, he tolerates rights abuses and extra-judicial killings, defended the massacre, this is exactly what we expect of him when he becomes president, the whole country with peasants pushing for genuine land reform to be deployed with government forces, thus, he is anti-people, anti-peasant, his slogan is totally meaningless and plain and simple lipservice,” said Ramos.

“He has his hands tainted with blood of the 7 massacre victims and 7 extra-judicial killings, including Tarlac City councilor Abel Ladera, Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) president and Mapalacsiao Bgy. Capt. Ric Ramos, KMP Tarlac Chair Marcelino Ramos and Philippine Independent Church Rev. William Tadena,” said Ramos.

“I will not steal”
The group said that Noynoy’s recent line of “hindi ako magnanakaw,” or “i will not steal,” is a contradiction itself. Hacienda Luisita was acquired by Jose “Don Pepe” Cojuangco, Sr. in 1957 through a loan from the government, in a condition that in 10-years time it would be distributed to the farmers as part of the social justice program of the government. Then, the Cojuangcos opposed the coverage for land reform and “used all their influence and power” to retain control of the hacienda.

The machinations of the Cojuangcos were themselves stealing from the people, more particularly from the farmers and agri-workers who developed the lands. The Cojuangcos’ stole a minimum of $2.1 million, which they loaned from the Manufacturer’s Trush Company in New York, which was guaranteed by the Central Bank.

“The Cojuangcos simply did not snatch public funds, they have snatch the future and lives of generations of farming families in Hacienda Luisita from 1957 to present. This is bigger than any scandal that rocked the country,” said Ramos.

SCTEX
The Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) project was even opposed by the striking workers in Hacienda Luisita in 2004. As members of United Luisita Workers’ Union (Ulwu) and Alyansa ng Manggagawang-Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala) have witnessed the Cojuangcos’ systematic implementation of Land Use Conversions (LUCs) since Luisita Mall. The farmer-beneficiaries (FBs) agri-workers who are supposed to own 33% of the Hacienda Luisita, Inc. has never consent, consequently never benefited from the project. The P80-million overpricing or 1,100.5% of the market value of P8 per square meter rocketing to P100 was totally raked by the Cojuangcos. In addition, they were paid for the construction of roads connecting those in Hacienda Luisita.

“Noynoy’s apologists scramble to defend that he did not use his influence to go over the project, given so, he does not have the ‘delicadeza’ to at least look unto it, or oppose it, he did nothing, he is useless, he played safe,” Ramos said.

Call for Land and Justice
“On our recent nationwide Lakbayan ng Anakpawis para sa Lupa at Katarungan, when peasants from Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon marched towards the country’s national center, we have drummed up further the call for land and justice in Hacienda Luisita, to date, Noynoy has zero response. Thus, we would not falter to raise the struggle to further heights, if peasants and agri-workers would be compelled to do another long march and camp-out, we would definitely do so,” called Ramos.#