(Eagle News) — The Supreme Court has ruled Hacienda Luisita has fully complied with its 2011 order to distribute sale shares to farmworker beneficiaries.
In making the ruling, the SC cited the findings of a three-man audit panel in its resolution made public on Wednesday, July 4.
“To sum up, all three members of the audit panel have determined that the legitimate corporate expenses of Hacienda Luisita Inc for the years 1998 up to 2011, coupled with the taxes and expenses related to the sale of the 3% share already distributed to the farmworker beneficiaries, far exceeded the proceeds of the sale of the adverted 580.51-hectare lot,” the SC said.
Hacienda Luisita was ordered to share the proceeds from the sale with the farmworkers after it sold lands supposedly under agrarian reform to government agencies and other entities.
The SC ordered that the payment be made to 6296 farmworker beneficiaries.