The Philippine National Police (PNP) has violated existing laws in seizing and deciding to conduct DNA tests on the remains of slain National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Randy Echanis, a lawyer for the family of the peasant leader said on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
“PNP has no right to demand for DNA test before releasing the remains of Randall ‘Ka Randy’ Echanis to his family,” said Sentra executive director Atty. Jobert Pahilga in a statement.
“That is absurd, preposterous, unnecessary, and an insult to the family of Ka Randy,” added Pahilga who learned National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas gave the order to take the remains.
The lawyer said the PNP violated Article 306 of the Civil Code which gives “the duty and the right to make arrangements for the funeral of a relative primarily to the spouse.”
“Forcibly seizing the remains of Ka Randy from his wife and family and requiring that DNA process be undertaken before it is released to them, is tantamount to cruel and degrading treatment punishable under the Anti-Torture Law,” the lawyer pointed out.
“The police have no power nor authority to require that DNA process because the wife, the children, the friends, and lawyers of Ka Randy positively identified that it is Ka Randy! No other person came out to claim the body of Ka Randy! The pictures of Ka Randy when he was still alive and the picture after he was brutally murdered shows it is Ka Randy,” added Pahilga.
The 72-year-old NDFP peace consultant was killed along with another person identified as Louie Tagapia, 48, inside a rented home in Barangay Nova Proper in Novaliches, Quezon City last Monday, Aug. 10.
Initially, the PNP identified the peasant leader as Manuel Santiago supposedly based on an identification card recovered from the scene as with the statement of the landlord.