There are signs of torture and use of multiple weapons in the murder of peasant advocate Randall Echanis, an autopsy report revealed.
Another activist was shot dead in Bacolod on Monday night, raising alarm from groups that the “killing spree” against defenders continue despite the pandemic.
Activists and rights defenders went around the city on Monday to remove posters that tagged them as “human rights violators” and “berdugo” (butchers), which they deemed is a threat to silence their advocacy with the Anti-Terror Act in effect.
A Mindanao-based peace group condemned the Quezon City police for “snatching” the body of murdered peasant leader Randall Echanis from his grieving family.
The Philippines is the second deadliest country for environmental defenders, according to the latest Global Witness report.
Another set of posters tagging activists and rights defenders as wanted terrorists circulated in Davao City Thursday, August 13, this time including a bishop, a doctor and a Lumad school administrator.
Quezon City Police seized the body of murdered Anakpawis national chairperson Randall Echanis from his grieving family on Monday evening August 10 and said they need to get a DNA test to prove the identity of the victim.
Randall Echanis, national chairperson of the partylist Anakpawis and a consultant to the peace talks, was killed past midnight in his rented house in Novaliches, Quezon City on August 10, Monday.
On the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 8, Manobo leader and Bayan Muna representative Eufemia Cullamat called for an end to attacks of indigenous peoples in the country.
The 26th petition to the Supreme Court against the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act was filed August 7 by indigenous peoples, Moro leaders and their advocates.
