Hold Duterte accountable for crimes against humanity and murder of Ka Randy Echanis and other peace consultants

Peasant organizations and human rights advocates troop in front of the Department of Justice to call for justice to Duterte-era killings. 2024 marks the 4th year since Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis was killed on August 10 2020 inside his own home in Quezon City. The former Anakpawis Partylist National Chairperson lived a life of service to the people: from his activism in the 60s and participating in the First Quarter Storm in the 70s, to being involved in the peace negotiations between the GRP and the NDFP. Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Anakpawis Partylist, Pamalakaya, Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA), Alyansa ng mga Manggagawang Bukid sa Asyenda Luisita (AMBALA) and other progressive groups that joined the mobilization are demanding justice for Echanis, and for victims of attacks and the fake drug war perpetrated by the Duterte administration.

“Habang may matinding bangayan ang mga kampo ng Marcos at Duterte, wag natin kaligtaan ang malaking kasalanan ni Duterte sa mga magsasaka. Apat na taon na mula ng pinaslang si Ka Randy, at wala paring nakakamit na hustisya. Sa pag-amin ni Duterte sa pagtutulak niya ng madugong giyera kontra droga, kailangan din natin siyang masingil sa lahat ng extrajudicial killings at human rights violations na ginawa ng kanyang administrasyon”, said Danilo Ramos, KMP National Chairperson.

In his lifetime, Ka Randy was subjected to numerous attacks from the state, including numerous illegal arrests and unjust detentions. In 2018, Ka Randy was unjustly included by the Department of Justice in a baseless proscription list of about 600 individuals and aliases alleged to be “terrorists” under the Human Security Act.

Aside from Echanis, state forces during Duterte’s presidency are also responsible for the killing of other NDFP peace consultants. Julius Giron was killed on March 13, 2020 in Baguio City. The raiding team claimed that Giron and his companions resisted arrest. On November 25, 2020, ailing and retired NDFP consultants Agaton Topacio and his wife Eugenia Magpantay were brutally killed in their home in Tanay, Rizal. The police used the same “nanlaban” narrative, an unlikely scenario given Topacio and Magpantay’s advanced age and medical condition. On May 28, 2021, Reynaldo Bocala, a consultant of the NDFP for the Visayas, and his civilian companion were summarily killed in a house in Pavia, Iloilo. The police falsely claimed that Bocala, who was ill, resisted arrest while being served a warrant for his arrest.

With Duterte now in open admission of masterminding the “reward system killings” and bloody war on drugs, his culpability for other human rights violations such as attacks against peasants and progressive organizations are now under further scrutiny. Aside from the brutal murder of Ka Randy, are the Bloody Sunday Massacre and around 22 massacres on farmers that happened during Duterte’s regime including the Negros 14 massacre and the Sagay 9 massacre. Human rights group Karapatan tallies 442 extrajudicial killings operating in line with counter-insurgency operations from July 2016 to December 2022.

“Di rin abswelto si Marcos Jr. sa kanyang mga pag-atake sa mga magsasaka’t aktibista. Alam nating wala rin siyang respeto sa karapatang pantao at di rin natigil sa panahon ni Duterte ang mga pamamaslang at human rights violations, sa makatwid, ay pinagpapatuloy lang niya. Kailangan niyang patunayan na may kaibahan nga talaga siya kay Duterte, at kailangan niyang makipagtulungan sa ICC para sa tuluyan na pag-aresto kay Duterte”, Ramos added.

The groups that joined the mobilization are urging the Marcos Jr. administration to fully submit to the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s mandate and cooperate for the investigation and eventual arrest of Duterte. ##