NP won’t let Noynoy get away on Luisita

from Malaya

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03192010/news10.html
 
THE Nacionalista Party yesterday said Liberal Party presidential bet Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III has shown his "callousness and insensitivity" towards the poor for saying that his family on the maternal side – the Cojuangcos -- is the oppressed party in the Hacienda Luisita land dispute.

"Aquino family oppressed? Tell it to the Hacienda farmers," NP spokesman and senatorial bet Adel Tamano said.

Aquino, in a campaign sortie in Catarman, Samar Wednesday, said his family has been unduly put at a disadvantage by parties out to distort the facts about the Hacienda Luisita issue to derail his presidential bid. He said his opponents have been using the Hacienda Luisita issue as a political issue.

The New York Times on Sunday quoted Aquino’s cousin Fernando Cojuangco as saying the family has no intention to part with Hacienda Luisita, contrary to Aquino’s promise to distribute the sugar estate to farmers within five years of his presidency.

Tamano said Aquino should face the families of the 13 farmers who died in the Mendiola massacre, as well as the heirs of the seven farmers who were killed in the Hacienda Luisita massacre. This is not to mention about 15 farmers who were killed in Lupao, a day after Mendiola Massacre, on suspicion that they were communist rebels.

Aside from them, 74 farmers were injured in Mendiola and 121 in Luisita.

Another NP senatorial bet, Gilbert Remulla, said Aquino and his LP stalwarts have been proven to be more interested in politics and power than public service.

"Like Aquino who said his family was the oppressed party in the Hacienda Luisita issue, LP just does not get it. They will never really understand the plight of the poor," Remulla said.

NP vice presidential bet Loren Legarda also accused her closest rival Mar Roxas of being anti-poor.

She said Roxas voted for the value-added tax and watered down the Cheaper Medicines Act.

She said the Farmers market, which is owned by the Araneta family to which Roxas belongs, still has high rentals, despite Roxas’ "Mr. Palengke" image. – JP Lopez