The killing of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randy Echanis sparked protest actions from various progressive groups in Quezon City Tuesday (Aug. 11).
Bearing placards, printed images of Echanis and other protest materials, several individuals gathered in front of the Commission on Human Rights office on Commonwealth Ave. to denounce the incident and call for justice following his slay.
This came after Echanis, along with a neighbor, was found dead inside his rented apartment in Barangay Nova Proper in Novaliches, Quezon City early Monday morning.
As of this writing, his body is still under police custody at a funeral parlor for investigation.
In a statement, militant group Anakpawis called out the police for investigating the victim and not the perpetrators behind his killing.
"Imbestigahan nila ang mga pumaslang, hindi ang pinaslang (They should investigate the killers and not the victim)!" the group said in statement after Echanis' body was taken by police late Monday evening from his family's custody for investigation.
Echanis' widow, Erlinda, said that the incident added to the "insult to our injury."
"It is both inhuman and unjust for the remains of my husband to be held under police custody and deprive us of having proper and private mourning," she added.