On Echanis’ one year detention: Peasant leaders, Echanis’ family, friends go on fasting at the Supreme Court

Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis, Deputy Secretary-General for External Affairs of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) who marked his 1-year imprisonment by going on fasting inside the Manila City Jail, was joined by peasant leaders, his son, friends and supporters who went on fasting the whole day while camping out in front of the Supreme Court, along P. Faura street. Echanis filed a petition for certiorari, thus, his supporters appealed to the high court to look unto his case immediately, in order for them to release him because of his innocence.

The group called the activity as “Fasting on Randall Echanis’ 1 Year Detention and For His Immediate Release,” and among those who went on fasting were, Antonio Flores, KMP National Auditor, Ranmill Echanis, Echanis’ son, Sr. Pat Fox of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Salvador Frances, Pamalakaya-Pilipinas spokesperson, Cathy Estabillo of Amihan Peasant Women, Cherry Clemente, Anakpawis National Secretary-General, Pedro Gonzales, Pamalakaya-Southern Tagalog Secretary-General, Axel Pinpin of Tagaytay 5, and other leaders and representatives from other sectoral groups. Aside from fasting, they were joined by members of militant groups who held silent protests to further inform the public along P. Faura street. The activity was attended by about 80 leaders and activists belonging from various groups.

Echanis was arrested by police and military on January 28 last year in Bago City, Negros Occidental while holding a consultation on sugarworkers from Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA) and National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) about the House Bill 3059 Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) and preparation on National Rural Congress 2 organized by CBCP last July. He was implicated on the alleged “mass graves” in Leyte, tagged as communist purge in the 1980s, where the multiple murder case is also filed against Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo.

When Echanis was arrested, he was detained in Leyte Provincial Jail in Palo town and on July 29, he was transferred shortly at Camp Crame, but immediately transferred at Manila City Jail on August 2, his case was handled by Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32. KMP and peasant groups have condemned Echanis transfer at the city jail as the Arroyo government treated Echanis a common criminal not as a political prisoner like those who are detained in Camp Crame.

Inside Manila City Jail, Echanis developed an inflammation of the gall bladder and enlargement of prostate diagnosed by doctors from the Philippine Heart Center, who concluded he needed medical surgery. He was confined at the said hospital from November 24 to 27, after the court favored his petition for medical check-up that was opposed heavily by prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ). Again upon petition for medical surgery, DOJ prosecutors opposed it and it is still hanging with the court. There would be a hearing on January 30 about his petition of medical surgery.

“Ka Randy’s court battle has been torturous and stressful to him, he was humiliated when we witnessed the jail guards included him with the MCJ detainees and they were made to squat on the road when they were waiting for the BJMP bus on his August 5 hearing. We were very furious he was treated as a common criminal,” Antonio Flores recalled.

“Then when he was feeling ill inside the jail and he petitioned for medical check-up, these DOJ prosecutors heavily opposed it, as if they were trying to kill him slowly inside the jail by blocking any medical measures for Ka Randy. Now, the doctors have concluded he needed surgery, they are still obstructing it. These prosecutors are inhumane and brutal, given Ka Randy is already old and sickly,” added Flores.

“The Arroyo government cannot fool us, that Ka Randy’s case is part of its counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya 2, where extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and arrest and detention are its main ingredients. Ka Randy’s political persecution is spearheaded by the Inter-Agency Legal Action Group (IALAG) composed of Arroyo, DOJ Sec. Raul Gonzales, National Security adviser Norberto Gonzales, Exec. Sec. Eduardo Ermita, the AFP and PNP, and other intelligence units of the government. They are accusing activists of common crimes so as to hamper their organizing work, like what they did to ST 27 and 72, where regional and provincial leaders from Southern Tagalog are accused of unbailable crimes to keep them in jail. These measures are railroaded by the DOJ prosecutors themselves, bypassing due processes, without preliminary investigations and immediately releasing warrants of arrests,” Flores explained.

The peasant group believes that President Arroyo is afraid of them, as they are a major player in unseating presidents such as what happened in People Power 1 and 2. Also, as the chief representative of the landlord class of the country, President Arroyo is fantasizing about quelling the peasant movement’s struggle for genuine land reform, where they are advancing in the countryside.

“We will never cease to struggle, for genuine land reform and for Ka Randy’s freedom. He was persecuted because of his unwaivering commitment to the Filipino peasants, this is our opportunity to return the favor. We will never tire of protesting and mobilizing to call for his immediate release, we are levelling up our actions for this cause. Today, we are on fasting, in the next days, we will be flooding around here,” declared Flores.#

FOR REFERENCE:
ROY MORILLA, KMP Public Information Officer (+63-905-421-73-05)