UN urged to probe Echanis murder

MANILA, Philippines — Party-list group Anakpawis yesterday called on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate the murder of activist and peace consultant Randall Echanis in Quezon City last week.

The killing of Echanis must be brought to the international community to gather support for his family’s quest for justice, former Anakpawis representative and currently its national vice president Ariel Casilao said.

“We ask the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to look into the cold-blooded murder of a peace and peasant advocate who had been a target of government’s persecution and neutralization,” Casilao said.

Echanis, 71, was the national chairperman of Anakpawis and secretary general of the peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

He was also a long-time peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

Echanis was killed by unidentified assailants inside his rented apartment in Novaliches, Quezon City on Aug. 10. He bore gunshot and stab wounds.

His companion, Louie Tagapia, was also killed.

Casilao said they believe that state forces were behind Echanis’ murder as “only those elements are able to carry out and get away with murder under lockdown guidelines.”

“We will pursue an independent probe and we will not stop until the perpetrators are identified and held accountable,” Casilao said.

The Anakpawis and human rights advocate group Karapatan have earlier expressed doubt over the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s investigation on the killing of Echanis.

“Hundreds of activists have been killed under this regime and the DOJ task force has failed to bring any of them to justice and hold the perpetrators accountable,” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

The group noted that aside from Echanis, two other NDFP consultants were killed under the Duterte administration. They were Randy Malayao, who was shot dead while sleeping on a bus on his way home to Isabela, and Julius Giron, who was killed in Baguio City.

Palabay said seven NDFP peace consultants remain in prison on alleged trumped-up charges: Rey Claro Casambre, Ferdinand Castillo, former priest Frank Fernandez, Renante Gamara, Vicente Ladlad, Adelberto Silva and Esterlita Suaybaguio.

In a report released last June, the OHCHR headed by Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said the Duterte administration allegedly committed human rights violations in its efforts to stop the illegal drug trade and other national security threats.