The body of slain activist and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randy Echanis was allegedly “forcibly” taken by police officers from a Quezon City funeral parlor where his family took him late Monday evening.
Echanis's wife, Erlinda, disclosed this in a statement posted at around 11:20 p.m. on Anakpawis Facebook page.
“I condemn the persistent harassment of PNP La Loma-QCPD and their brazen act of snatching the remains of my husband... Tonight, we have recovered his remains and transferred it to a funeral of our choice. Tonight, more than 10 policemen from La Loma PNP forcibly took the cadaver and will return it to Pink Petal Funeral Homes in La Loma, Quezon City,” she said.
The activist's wife said that she identified the lifeless body of his husband, “which bore torture marks, multiple stab and gunshot wounds.”
But the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified body in their police report as a certain Manuel Santiago, based on an identification card taken from him.
“Relatively, the landlady of the apartment, confirmed that the names appearing in the identification cards are similar to how she has known the victims – Louie Tagapia and Manuel Santiago,” the police report added.
Echanis, 72, and Louie Tagapia, 48, were stabbed to death at around 1:35 a.m. inside their rented home in Barangay Nova Proper in Novaliches, the QCPD said, adding that five unidentified individuals were behind the killing.
Echanis, who was a long-time NDPF consultant and a member of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Committee on Socio-Economic Reforms, was involved in the peace talks with the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2017. He was also the deputy secretary general of militant peasant organization, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and a former Anakapwis nominee in the 2010 elections.
Former Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said the elderly activist was undergoing medical treatment and was unarmed when his house was raided. He expressed indignation of the what he alleged as “extra-judicial” killing.
Edre Olalia, legal consultant of the NDFP Negotiating Panel and National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) president, also slammed Echanis's killing.
“It is almost conclusory that the ruthless dark forces have struck again,” he said in a statement. “How then can we encourage people to openly and effectively engage in legitimate causes and advocacies for social and economic reforms if you treacherously silence them?”