On August 11, various groups protested condemning the brutal killing of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randall Echanis at the Commission on Human Rights in Quezon City. The peasant activist and his neighbor were killed inside a rented house in Novaliches, Quezon City on August 10.
In the protest, Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay said that the killing of Echanis is a politically-motivated killing.
“Walang duda, singlinaw ng tubig ang aming pag-aakusa na walang ibang may kasalanan dito sa pagpaslang kay Ka Randy kundi ang gobyernong ito. Oo, Presidente Duterte ang pinapatungkulan po namin ay kayo at ang National Task Force to end Local Communist Conflict,” Palabay said.
[There is no doubt, clear as water is our accusation that this government is responsible for the killing of Ka Randy. Yes, President Duterte, we mean you and the National Task Force to end Local Communist Conflict.]
Palabay added, “Hindi ba nanggaling sa bunganga ni Duterte… Kanino nanggaling [ang] pahayag na ubusin ang mga komunista, kabilang ang mga peace consultant dito sa ating bansa, hindi ba’t binanggit iyon ni Pangulong Duterte, hindi ba’t binanggit ni Gen. Año na alam nila na kung nasaan ang mga consultant na mga ito?”
[Did not it come from Duterte’s mouth…From whom came the statement to eliminate all communists, including all peace consultants in our country, did not President Duterte mention that, did not Gen. Año say they know the whereabouts of the consultants?”
The Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), that the NDFP and the Government of the Philippines (GRP) signed in 1995, guarantees the immunity and safety of individuals involved in the peace talks. The identities of peace consultants are withheld to ensure immunity from “surveillance, harassment, search, arrest, detention, prosecution and interrogation or any other similar punitive actions.”
Since Duterte ended the talks, peace consultants who attended the peace talks were re-arrested such as Adelberto Silva, Vicente Ladlad, Renante Gamara, Rey Casambre and Raffy Baylosis, with human rights groups accusing the police of “planted evidence” and “trumped-up charges.” Randy Malayao was the first to be killed execution-style in early 2019. Echanis was the second under Duterte.
Law groups and other human righst groups condemn the killing and inhumane snatching the remain of Echanis to his family.
Anakpawis held a candlelighting outside their office yesterday to protest and demand justice for the brutal killing of the Anakpawis National Chairperson.
JUST IN — Members of Anakpawis and other peasant groups hold a candle lighting outside the Anakpawis headquarters in QC, to protest and demand justice for the brutal killing of Anakpawis Chairperson Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis. #JusticeForKaRandyEchanis pic.twitter.com/9lVRURjAXC
— Anakpawis Party-list (@AnakpawisPL) August 10, 2020
