Echanis, Anakpawis partylist chairman, stabbed dead inside home: rights groups

August 10, 2020

Randall Echanis, chairman of Anakpawis partylist group, was allegedly killed inside his home in Novaliches early Monday.

According to initial reports received by human rights group Karapatan, Echanis, 72, was killed, along with a still unidentified neighbor, by attackers who entered his rented home.

He sustained several stab wounds while the other victim suffered grave head injury.

Anakpawis Partylist accused ''police forces'' of being behind Echanis' death.

Echanis, a former member of  the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines, was a peace consultant of the National Democratic Front in its peace talks with the Philippine government.

Police have yet to make a statement.

According to former Anakpawis Partylist Rep. Ariel Casilao, Echanis “was undergoing medical treatment, and unarmed when police forces raided his house.”

“Our anger is beyond words. This is a culture of extrajudicial killings with impunity under the Duterte regime. This is a declaratory act that national leaders of legal-democratic movement are now targeted to be killed by the Duterte regime. The entire civil society, human rights advocates and freedom fighters must totally denounce this criminal act,” Casilao said in a statement.

Karapatan, Anakpawis and other peasant groups said Echanis' death signals a new mode of operation under Duterte’s fascist regime.

“Instead of arrests, Tokhang-style killings against activists turn out to be the new policy. The objective is clear - to send a chilling message to critics and dissenters to stay silent or else they will suffer the same fate,” Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said in a statement.

Echanis was deputy secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and a former nominee of Anakpawis partylist in the 2010 elections.

“The workers’ movement grieves the death of one of its strongest allies in advancing the cause of genuine agrarian reform. Ka Randy was also committedly involved and active in a series of consultations with workers in the formulation of the NDFP’s proposal for Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER),” KMU said.

KMU said Twill join forces with other sectors in an indignation rally on August 11, 10 am at the Commission on Human Rights in Quezon City.  Ella Dionisio/DMS