TARLAC CITY – Nacionalista Party standard bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. and his running mate, Sen. Loren Legarda assured victims of the alleged Hacienda Luisita massacre that they will assist them to get justice once they win in the May 2010 elections.

The alleged unfortunate incident that happened five years ago in the hacienda owned by the Cojuangcos left seven farmers killed and hundreds were wounded when soldiers reportedly fired at the protesting farmers. The case remains unsolved up to now.

The tandem of Villar and Legarda made the assurance during their campaign sortie here Saturday where they were given a warm welcome by Tarlaqueños.

Villar said he would let the wheels of justice take its course if he becomes president.

Hacienda Luisita is a big issue that hounds the presidential bid of Villar’s rival, LP standard bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. The latter’s mother is former President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, whose family owns the hacienda, a vast industrial estate in Tarlac Villar told reporters the issue of land distribution should also be looked into after the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Legarda said she wanted an investigation so that those who have committed crimes and human rights violations in connection with the alleged massacre should be brought to court.

Relatedly, NP senatorial bet Adel Tamano expressed concern that the issues surrounding the 7,000-hectare Hacienda Luisita will still not be resolved under an Aquino presidency.

Tamano claimed that agrarian reform secretaries who were appointed by former President Aquino during her term are also now in the LP team, identifying them as Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad and Philip ‘Popoy’ Juico who were both agrarian reform secretaries during the Aquino administration, while Ernesto Garilao served as agrarian reform chief from 1992-1998.

Tamano alleged that Abad, Juico and Garilao are playing key roles in the LP-Aquino campaign.