Compromise deal divides Hacienda Luisita 4 unions

MANILA, Philippines—Unions in Hacienda Luisita, once united in their plea for better working conditions despite threats of violence, are divided in the face of pressures brought about by a compromise settlement with the estate management.

Members of the major unions in the sugar plantation owned by relatives of President Benigno Aquino III have accused each other of rumor-mongering and betrayal following the signing of the deal between the management and majority of the workers last week.

The spokespersons of the opposing factions also accused each other of misrepresentation.

Felix Nacpil, an elderly union official who was born inside the estate, was saddened by the cracks in the unions over the settlement. He said it could erode the workers’ trust in the unions.

“The situation will weaken us,” Nacpil, chair of the Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (Ambala), said in an interview Tuesday.

Seventy percent of the farm workers voted over the weekend for retaining their stocks in Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI), representing 33 percent of the company, instead of getting parcels of land from 1,366 hectares of the plantation, which originally covered 6,433 ha.

End hardships

Eldifonso Pingol, United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU) vice president, spoke for those who signed the deal and said they worked with the management to end the hardships of their fellow members, who had not had work since 2006.

Pingol said the past few years were difficult for the thousands of workers of Hacienda Luisita. Some of the people, he said, had to eke out a living by farming what little land was available.

“Right now, the hacienda is suffering from blackouts. Most of the people do not have jobs. Because of this agreement, many will have work again. There is also financial compensation. This is what the people need,” he said.

Nacpil expressed fear that by Aug. 18, no one would be with his group. “How will we fill up 10 jeeps?” he asked.

Oral arguments

On Aug. 18, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the validity of the stock distribution option (SDO) offered by the management to the workers.

The tribunal will tackle the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by its third division in favor of the Cojuangco family, owners of Hacienda Luisita, which stopped the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council from implementing its decision in 2005 to nullify the SDO scheme.

The case stems from a petition filed separately by three workers’ groups with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in 2004 to revoke the SDO scheme, which they said did not alleviate the plight of the workers. Farm workers agreed in 1989 to get a third of the shares of stock in HLI in lieu of land.

Supreme Court spokesperson Midas Marquez said the HLI should submit the compromise agreement to the high court.

“Once presented, the Court would have to review that compromise agreement,” Marquez said.

Beyond control

Malacañang Tuesday said President Aquino would not heed a bishop’s call for him to influence his relatives into following the DAR directive to redistribute the estate.

“Now that (the compromise agreement between Hacienda management and farmer-beneficiaries) has been signed … it’s beyond his control,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a news briefing.

He was reacting to the statement of Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo on Monday that Mr. Aquino should intervene and convince his relatives to just follow the law on land distribution.

“(The President) is in a sensitive position. If he intervenes, whatever decision would be seen as a result of interference on his part. What he is sworn to do is to abide and to obey the law, to enforce and execute the laws of the land,” Lacierda said.

“Either way, he would be hit so it would be better if we just let the Supreme Court decide on the matter (on the validity of the compromise agreement),” he added.

On the day of the oral arguments next week, Nacpil said union members would go to Manila from Tarlac to press the high tribunal to reject the deal.

Nacpil said he did not believe that the agreement would mean a better life for Luisita farmers as this only gave the management stronger control over the estate.

Pingol, who signed the deal, rued it was unfortunate that the union leaders had differing views on the agreement.

Pingol noted that he and the other leaders fought together for just compensation during the strike in the hacienda in 2004 and the closure of the estate.

There are three major farmers’ unions in the estate representing about 10,000 workers: Ambala, ULWU, and Farmworkers Agrarian Reform Movement Luisita.

Blaming management

Nacpil said the union members who signed the deal were compelled to do so because they needed work and money.

Aside from stocks, the management said it would provide a P150-million financial assistance to the beneficiaries. Company officials said P20 million would be released next week. The Supreme Court will schedule the next tranche of compensation.

Nacpil said this was the first time he witnessed the unions and the workers in disarray and blamed the management for it.

The management, he said, did not discuss with them the compromise agreement, preferring to course it with the Supervisory Group, a union composed of Hacienda Luisita supervisors.

Former Ambala official Noel Mallari and Pingol were also in cahoots with the management, Nacpil said.

Pingol was a bodyguard of Jose “Peping” Cojuangco who was given 70 hectares by the management, according to Nacpil.

Nacpil said Mallari misrepresented himself as an Ambala official after he was booted out by union officials.

He accused the other union officials of following the management’s divide-and-rule plan.

Lito Bais, ULWU acting president, said he did not expect the management and workers to sign the deal because he thought it was illegal.

Pingol and Mallari denied claims that they were not members of the unions.

In a media interview, the two said Bais and Nacpil were the ones who misrepresented themselves as legitimate union leaders. The two were not elected like them.

“They could not show papers to prove it,” Pingol said.

In favor of management

The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the settlement was skewed in favor of management, and its main intent was just to get the Supreme Court to dismiss the case against HLI.

Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said that under the agreement, farmers who signed it would not be able to question the conversion of Hacienda Luisita lands to commercial and industrial uses even if this would be to the detriment of agricultural production.

The settlement deal also lets HLI keep its control over the lands given to farmers, since it has the right of first refusal in case the farmers decide to lease, sell, transfer or enter into a joint venture involving the land, Reyes said. –Kristine L. Alave, Norman Bordadora, Philippine Daily Inquirer with reports from Nikko Dizon and Leila B. Salaverria