After supposedly accepting the people’s call for him to run for president, Sen. Noynoy Aquino must also heed the demand of farmers for the Aquino-owned Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) to recognize their ownership of the 2,000-hectare parcel of the sugar plantation, according labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno.

KMU reiterated its challenge to Sen. Noynoy amid the buzz regarding his recent announcement of his presidential bid, saying former president Aquino’s son must prove that he bears a pro-people stance by resolving the decades-old land dispute.

“Noynoy said that by running, he is heeding the call of the people, that he is putting the people’s interests above his personal interests. The HLI case will put his words to the test. Can he act now to divest his family of one of the main sources of its wealth?” said KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog.

The Department of Agrarian Reform has already ordered the granting of full land ownership to the farmers, but the HLI management has issued a memorandum in December last year telling farmers to leave the land on or before Oct. 30, 2009.

“Now that he has declared his candidacy for president and with the October 30 deadline for Hacienda farmers drawing near, we reiterate our call to Noynoy: Stop the eviction of the Hacienda farmers! Intervene in the HLI dispute in favor of the 500 families affected Distribute the lands to the farmers!” added Labog.

More than 500 families of HLI farmers still grapple with land ownership problems after years of struggle, which has resulted in the massacre of 14 workers and farmers last Nov. 2004 by military units deployed to the 6,000-hectare hacienda.

“The farmers have won the right to own the land. For decades, they have worked in the hacienda, creating value that more than pays for the land they till. They have struggled for genuine land reform, pressuring regimes to fulfill promises made to them,” said Labog.

The labor leader said acting on the plight of Hacienda Luisita farmers does not demand that Noynoy win the presidential race, as he can already file a Senate resolution seeking distribution of parcels of land to farmers who are the righful owners. #