NAGPUPUYOS sa galit ang militanteng grupo makaraan ang pagpaslang sa isang kilalang aktibista at consultant na si Randall “Randy” Echanis at isang kapitbahay nito sa inuupahang bahay ngayong Lunes ng madaling araw sa Novaliches, Quezon City.

“Our anger is beyond words. This is a culture of extrajudicial killings with impunity under the Duterte regime. This is a declaratory act that national leaders of legal-democratic movement are
now targeted to be killed by the Duterte regime. The entire civil society, human rights advocates and freedom fighters must totally denounce this criminal act,” ani dating Anakpawis Party-list Rep.
Ariel Casilao.

Ayon sa mambabatas, ang 71-anyos na si Echanis ay deputy secretary general ng Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) at nangunguna sa kampanya para sa genuine agrarian reform sa
Pilipinas.

Sinabi ni Casilao, sumasailalim sa medical treatment si Echanis dahil sa iba’t ibang karamdaman dahil sa kanyang edad at hindi umano ito armado nang patayin sa kanyang inuupahang bahay.

Naging aktibo si Echanis sa 2016-2017 peace talks sa pagitan ng NDFP-at Duterte administration kung saan nabuo ang Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), bilang consultant ng NDFP.

Gayunpaman, inatras ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang peace talks sa grupo ni Jose Ma. Sison dahil sa patuloy na pag-atake umano ng New People’s Army (NPA) habang nagkakaroon ng pag-
uusap.

“While the country is bearing the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, state-backed mercenaries and death squads remain on the loose and wreaking havoc on activists and freedom fighters,” ayon naman kay dating Congressman Rafael Mariano, chairman ng KMP.

“Duterte has already signed the death order of activists and peace consultants upon the enactment of the anti-terrorism law. We will seek justice for Echanis and other victims of state-sponsored
killings, at any cost,” dagdag pa ni Mariano na dating kalihim ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). (BERNARD TAGUINOD)