Aquino’s sisters also want out of Luisita

The sisters of Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on Monday night said it was their dream to be divested of their interest in the Cojuangco-owned sugar plantation in Central Luzon.

Speaking with Philippine Daily Inquirer editors and reporters, Maria Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz, Aurora Corazon “Pinky” Aquino-Abellada and Victoria Eliza “Viel” Aquino-Dee said that they and many of their cousins also wanted out of the hacienda but that they were having difficulty finding interested buyers because of its large debt and labor problems.

Abellada added that the government decision to nullify the stock distribution option at the hacienda could be “political harassment” because her mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, had called for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s resignation after the “Hello Garci” scandal.

“Even when mom was alive, we really wanted out of that place except that nobody would buy our minority share,” Abellada said.

“Our dream is somebody—some conglomerate with agri-diversified businesses—will come in and buy it and give more employment,” she added.

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