2 days ago
CA order for gov't to pay P28B to Hacienda Luisita not yet final, executory —Landbank
State-run lender Land Bank of the Philippines on Thursday said the Court of Appeals' (CA) decision for the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) to pay P28 billion as just compensation to Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) for distribution of its land to farmer beneficiaries is not yet final as the decision is still being appealed.
'The CA decision is not yet final and executory. A Motion for Reconsideration was filed by the DAR in May 2025 and is awaiting resolution,' Landbank said.
'If sustained by the CA, DAR may elevate the case to the Supreme Court (SC),' the bank said.
In a 35-page decision, the CA said the Tarlac City Regional Trial Court-Special Agrarian Court (RTC-SAC) incorrectly computed the compensation for Hacienda Luisita because the amount to be paid in exchange for the property taken should be "real, substantial, full, ample, just and fair, with due consideration to the factors enumerated under Section 17 [on determination of just compensation] of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law."
The decision covers 4,500 hectares of Cojuangco family-owned HLI land.
'Respondents are ordered to pay petitioner the total amount of P28,488,944,278.71 as just compensation as of 30 April 2025, without prejudice to the accrual of interest until fully paid," the CA said.
In its statement, Landbank clarified that it was 'dropped as a party respondent to the just compensation case [CA-G.R. SP No. 180821, 'Hacienda Luisita, Inc (HLI). vs. Land Bank of the Philippines and DAR'] by the Court of Appeals (CA) in its decision on April 30, 2024.'
'The latest CA decision on the case, dated April 25, 2025, ordering the payment of P28.49 billion in just compensation to HLI is chargeable against the Agrarian Reform Fund (ARF), which is owned by the National Government and administered by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR),' the bank said.
The state-run lender further said its designated role was as custodian of the ARF, 'in charge of carrying out disbursement instructions by the DAR.'
In November 2011, the Supreme Court voted 14-0 ordering the distribution of nearly 5,000 hectares of land to some 6,000 farmer beneficiaries of HLI.
In a 56-page decision, the 14 magistrates "recalled and set aside" the option given to the farmer beneficiaries — some of them members of Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Hacienda Luisita (Ambala) and Farm Workers Agrarian Reform Movement (FARM) — to remain as HLI stockholders.
The high tribunal upheld its ruling in April 2012.
The sprawling estate had been under the control of the family of former Presidents Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino III for around six decades before the SC ordered the total distribution of the property to farmworker beneficiaries.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
