Aquino to give out Hacienda Luisita lands (3:27 p.m.)

MANILA -- Liberal Party standard bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said that his family will distribute the Hacienda Luisita lands once all debts are settled.

“I already said many times. I talked to my family. All we want is the welfare of the farmers, how the land will be distributed. The only problem is how to transfer the land with no debts,” he said during the kick-off of the campaign of LP in Tarlac.

Aquino said certain portions of the Hacienda Luisita estate are yet to be loaned out from banks, adding that the corporation's obligation to the bank has become higher than its value.

He said 10,000 farmers are set to divide 4,500 hectares of land, which he thinks is unfair because not all parcels of land have the same productivity. “If this was politics, there must be voluntary effort to sell.”

Earlier, Aquino said in a statement that he will distribute the lands if he winds the presidency. (Angela Casauay/Sunnex)