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Office of Rep. Edcel C. Lagman
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Independent-Albay
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25 April 2012
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0916-6406741 / 0918-9120137
The Supreme Court has ruled with finality on the distribution to qualified farmer-beneficiaries of the Hacienda Luisita lands as well as on the social justice valuation for computing the just compensation to the landowners, and perforce the sugar barons of the hacienda must comply.
This was stressed by Rep. Edcel C. Lagman (Independent-Albay) who is one of the three remaining original authors of House Bill No. 400 who are still members of the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress. HB 400 became RA No. 6657, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) which was approved on 10 June 1988 during the 8th Congress. The two others are Rep. Orlando B. Fua and Rep. Thelma Z. Almario.
Aside from the late Rep. Bonifacio H. Gillego, who was then the Chairman of the Committee on Agrarian Reform, the other co-authors included former Rep. Florencio B. Abad, the incumbent Budget Secretary, and former Rep. Herminio S. Aquino, a close relative of President Benigno Aquino.
Lagman also principally authored the CARPER (RA No. 9700) which extended for five (5) years or up to June 30, 2014 the Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) component of CARL.
Lagman lauded the Supreme Court’s decision for giving verity and fulfillment to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) which was the centerpiece agenda of the late President Corazon C. Aquino.
The decision also upheld the constitutional mandate that land, not shares of stock, be distributed to the landless tillers, Lagman added.