Farm workers from Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac condemned the alleged sabotaging of the auditing process of Hacienda Luisita, Inc. by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Led by Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA, Union of Agricultural Workers), the farm workers from the estate owned by the family of President Aquino charged that the DA insisted on including HLI in the auditing process–even as it is the very subject of the auditing.

On May 17, 2013, a meeting was held at La Majarica Hotel and Restaurant in Tarlac City where all parties present filed a motion to award the auditing process to Ocampo, Mendoza, Leung, Lim & Co. (OMLL) and to disqualify KPMG and Reyes Tacandong & Co.
KPMG and Reyes Tacandong & Co. are said to be ‘close’ to HLI and other Cojuangco firms.

UMA was joined by Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Ayenda Luisita (Ambala), the United Luisita Workers Union (ULWU), the Farmers of Agrarian Reform Movement, Inc. (FARM), the Supervisory Union of Hacienda Luisita, Inc., and Mr. Noel Mallari, head of the original 1989 farm workers, in filing the motion, while all excluding Mr. Mallari who was not present during the meeting voted to disqualify the two firms currently handling the auditing process.

According to UMA, they have been filing motions to consider certain independent accounting firms to examine where the HLI spent the share of farm worker beneficiaries in selling the 580-hectare land amounting to P1.33B, and to look into the company’s assets.
However, DAR denied all motions and cited the Supreme Court’s order that all parties must approve the selection of auditing firms.

“This would be impossible to achieve if DAR insists that HLI is a party to the selection process even if it is the entity that would be audited,” UMA stated in its recent press release.

HLI was not even present in the meeting, and so DAR became its spokesperson and defender, UMA added.

The DAR, meanwhile, said that it would raise the issue to the Supreme Court to further the discussion on the auditing process.

This raised greater concern to the farm workers as Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno “would most likely” rule in favor of the Cojuangcos and Aquinos again.

UNA pointed out that Sereno was appointed by the President and one of the minority justices who voted for a higher compensation package of the land to be distributed to beneficiaries–

The organizations, nevertheless, said they would be firm in their stand to award the auditing process of HLI and Centenary Holdings to OMLL, and to disqualify Reyes Tacandong & Co. and KPMG from the procedure.