Philippines - Ranking Red exec named party-list third nominee (tags)
The Anakpawis party-list announced on Monday that it was adding the name of Randall Echanis, a political consultant of the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (CPP-NDF), as its third nominee, a move which observers say could hasten the integration of the extreme left into the political mainstream.
FREE RANDALL ECHANIS, IMPLEMENT THE JASIG TO RESUME PEACE TALKS NOW! (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA again raise the demand for the US-Arroyo regime to free Randall Echanis. Until now the GRP has failed to release Randall Echanis ,detained NDFP consultant and KMP depurty secretary general and a FQS activist. The US-Arryo regime has failed to quash its made-up charges against those with warrants of arrest. Echanis has been languishing in jail together with other NDF consultants since the breakdown of the peace talks four years ago. For Pesante-USA, this is a major obstacle to the resumption to the peace talks between te NDFP and the GRP. This is a major indication that the GRP wants to scuttle the Oslo meeting. This is blatant and obvious attempt of the GRP and the US-Arroyo regime and the militarist in the AFP to freeze in the Supreme Court the question of releasing Randall Echanis and to make difficult or impossible the release of other detained NDFP consultants.
PESANTE SUPPORT ECHANIS FAST (tags)
Filipino Peasant advoccy group based in LA, Pesante-USA fully and militantly support peasant leader Randall Echanis who is holding a protest fast inside the Manila City Jail on Wednesday to mark the first year of what he said was his "very unjust" detention. "Pesante-USA is one and in solidarity with all activist organizations, relatives and sympathizers who also went on a fast and camped out in front of the Supreme Court along Padre Faura Street in Manila to call for the release of 60-year-old Echanis and denounce the Arroyo administration's "fascist stance" against activists." said, Arturo P. Garcia Pesante-USA coordinator
PESANTE SUPPORT ECHANIS FAST (tags)
Filipino Peasant advoccy group based in LA, Pesante-USA fully and militantly support peasant leader Randall Echanis who is holding a protest fast inside the Manila City Jail on Wednesday to mark the first year of what he said was his "very unjust" detention. "Pesante-USA is one and in solidarity with all activist organizations, relatives and sympathizers who also went on a fast and camped out in front of the Supreme Court along Padre Faura Street in Manila to call for the release of 60-year-old Echanis and denounce the Arroyo administration's "fascist stance" against activists." said, Arturo P. Garcia Pesante-USA coordinator
ACTIVIST CONTINUE PROTESTS THROUGHOUT CHRISTMAS (tags)
Activists here continue their unrelenting advocacy in support of various causes and in protest of other issues even as the community savors Christmas and the advent of a new year. The Filipino Veterans Support Bill, or SB 3689, remains as the foremost concern of the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV). Despite failing energy, living FilVets stay active on the road, making their presence felt in mass actions and community gatherings, and taking the opportunity to speak their minds. On December 8, JFAV announced the formation of a partner organization, the Association of Widows, Advocates and Relatives for Equality (Aware) at a meeting held at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center (HPMC) here. In San Francisco, FilVets Gomer Bondad and Reggie Nacua, with activists Ago Pedalizo and Violy Reyes, discussed the seemingly unresolved impasse on the lump sum clause of SB 36879, now pending in the US Congress, at a community meeting held at the ABS-CBN studio in Redwood City last December 10
KD70 SUPPPRTS ECHANIS PETITION (tags)
The Kilusang Dekada 70 (KD70) based in the United States supports Randal Echanis motion in the the Supreme Court to dismiss the murder case filed against him in Leyte. The activist group composed of the veterans from the Firtst Quarter Storm (FQS) of the 1970’s supports the 50-page petition for certiorari of Randall Echanis, deputy secretary general for external affairs of the progressive peasant organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines, KMP) that asked the high court to order his unconditional release to any humanitarian or religious institution.
FREE RANDALL ECHANIS AND ALL POLITICAL DETAINEES! (tags)
The recent charades, so called arrest and hospital detention and then the eventual release of Jocjoc Bolante after he was deported back to Manila by US immigration authorities truly reflects the ills of a justice system under rule of the puppet US-Arroyo regime in the Philippines. The Kilusang Dekada 70 vehemently condemns the recent travesty of justice. We ask- why is it so easy for this government play charades and masquaredes in the Congress and in the courts than to listen to the cries for justice coming from victims of enforced disappearance, torture and unjust imprisonme
he executive clemency granted by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Claudio Teehankee Jr.and other high profile criminals reflects the ills of a justice system under the semicolonial and semifeudal rule of the puppet US-Arroyo regime. We in the Kilusang Dekada 70 asks: how can this government release a man who brutally killed two young people while it continues to detain more than 200 political prisoners on trumped-up charges? Why is it so easy for this government to show mercy to a convicted murderers than to listen to the cries for justice coming from victims of enforced disappearance, torture and unjust imprisonment?
We, Filipino Americans in the United States are aghast at the height of callousness of the Department of Justice as it issues statements that shows its impartiality towards a former government official who is going to be deported by the US government while it wields a heavy hand on a peace consultant of the NDF in the Philippines. We, in the Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) vehemently condemn the defiance of DOJ and the PNP in its insistence on not transferring Randall Echanis from the Manila City Jail to Camp Crame. This recycled policy of treating political dissidents like common criminals is a worn-out Marcosian tactics being used now by the US-Arroyo regime.
OCAMPO HITS DOJ, PNP FOR EFYING COURT ORDER ON ECHANIS TRANSFER (tags)
Manila--Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo yesterday denounced the Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Philippine National Police for defying a Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) order transferring peasant leader Randall Echanis back to the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame. Last Monday, Col. Cesar Magsino, chief custodial group, PNP, a certain Col. Degracia, HQ service and support group, PNP, defied the Manila RTC Branch 32 order by not taking custody of Echanis pursuant to DoJ advice through higher headquarters.
Pesante Hails Transfer of Echanis to PNP Jail- A Tactical Victory (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante-USA) hails the transfer of Randal Echanis, yesterday. Echanis, a persecuted leader of KMP, a veterans FQSM student leader and an NDF Peace Consultant PNP was transferred from the Manila City Jail to the PNP Jai. The transfer is a tactical victory in the interest of justice and lasting peace and was a demand of different human rights groups in the Philippines and in the U.S. Pesante Coordinator Arturo Garcia said: “Echanis should not have been transferred to the Manila City Jail from the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame, It is just a simple case of persecution and the SOP of the resurging and copycat martial law regime. The US-Marcos regime did the same when they transferred the political prisoners from the detention centers to Muntinglupa National Penitentiary and declared them as “public order violators”
Pesante Hails Transfer of Echanis to PNP Jail- A Tactical Victory (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante-USA) hails the transfer of Randal Echanis, yesterday as a victory. Echanis, a persecuted leader of KMP, a veteran FQSM student leader and an NDF Peace Consultant PNP was transferred from the Manila City Jail to the PNP Jai. The transfer is a tactical victory in the interest of justice and lasting peace and was a demand of different human rights groups in the Philippines and in the U.S.
AJLPP Protests The Arrest of Randall Echanis, KMP Leader and a member of NDFP Peace Panel (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) vehemently condemns the unjust transfer and detention of Kilusan ng Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) deputy secretary-general Randall Echanis to the Manila City Jail (MCJ). The AJLPP comments that Echanis, who has been suffering from hypertension, should not be detained at the MCJ due to his health. ” It is a smack of political persecution and a pattern of repression by the US-Arroyo regime against known NDFP peace consultants It has been the SOP of the US regimes since Dictator Marcos during martial law to lump political detainees with common criminals. The US-Arroyo regime precisely doing this maneuvers. ” said the AJLPP.
Free Filipino Political Prisoner Randall Echanis Now (tags)
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) and all its allied organizations in North America expresses deep and serious concern over the continued detention of a ranking officer of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)or the Peasant Movement of the Philippines- Randall Echanis and demand his immediate release. On Tuesday, KMP Deputy Secretary for internal affairs Randall Echanis was transferred from the Palo Provincial Jail in Leyte to the Camp Crame Detention Center. An AJLLP coordinator commented that “members are happy that at least he was transferred to Camp Crame in Manila from Hilongos Leyte.” Updates were received that at around 7 a.m., some 30 supporters of Echanis, peasant activists including his wife Erlinda, son Ramill and daughter Amanda, and other relatives and friends, trooped to the EDSA gate of Camp Crame to greet his arrival.” The AJLPP seriously believes that Echanis, was falsely charged for murder in connection with mass graves discovered in Hilongos, Leyte. Like other NDF peace consultants who are languishing in jail, they are being unjustly targeted by the US-Arroyo regime. AJLPP fully supports position of the KMP chair Paeng Mariano and the Echanis family that the imprisonment of Echanis, was meant to “preserve the illegitimate, immoral and evil reign of President Arroyo.”
The Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) and all its allied organizations in North America expresses deep and serious concern over the continued detention of a ranking officer of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP)or the Peasant Movement of the Philippines- Randall Echanis and demand his immediate release. On Tuesday, KMP Deputy Secretary for internal affairs Randall Echanis was transferred from the Palo Provincial Jail in Leyte to the Camp Crame Detention Center. An AJLLP coordinator commented that “members are happy that at least he was transferred to Camp Crame in Manila from Hilongos Leyte.” Updates were received that at around 7 a.m., some 30 supporters of Echanis, peasant activists including his wife Erlinda, son Ramill and daughter Amanda, and other relatives and friends, trooped to the EDSA gate of Camp Crame to greet his arrival.” The AJLPP seriously believes that Echanis, was falsely charged for murder in connection with mass graves discovered in Hilongos, Leyte. Like other NDF peace consultants who are languishing in jail, they are being unjustly targeted by the US-Arroyo regime. AJLPP fully supports position of the KMP chair Paeng Mariano and the Echanis family that the imprisonment of Echanis, was meant to “preserve the illegitimate, immoral and evil reign of President Arroyo.”
Behind Bars: The Travails of a Political Prisoner, Randall Echanis, KMP (tags)
Randall Echanis, of the militant peasant organization the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, is not the only political prisoner of the Arroyo regime. There are currently 240 prisoners in detention by the count of Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainee Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (SELDA), an organization dedicated to helping political prisoners.
Karahasang Militar Lumalala: Lider ng KMP, inaresto; pastor, pinatay ng militar (tags)
Kabilang sa mga karumal-dumal na krimen ng rehimeng Arroyo nitong nakaraang mga linggo ang pagpaslang sa isang pastor ng UCCP sa Leyte at pagpatay sa isang aktibista sa Bohol. Sa kanayunan ng Tagum, nagpapatuloy ang sapilitang paglikas ng mga residente dahil sa matitinding operasyong sa kanilang mga lugar. Sa Maynila, mahigit 80,000 residente ang mawawalan ng tirahan dahil sa proyektong riles. Sa Negros, inaresto ang isang lider ng KMP, at sa Palawan, dalawang pinaghihinalaang myembro ng Bagong Hukbong Bayan (BHB) ang dinukot ng militar. Isa ring lider-masa sa Cebu ang dinukotat dalawang araw na itinago ng militar bago siya makatakas.
AJLPP Protests The Arrest of Randall Echanis, KMP Leader and a member of NDFP Peace Panel (tags)
The AJLPP through its national coordinator Mario Santos today strongly condemns the illegal arrest of Mr. Randall Echanis, KMP deputy secretary general and a member of the NDFP Reciprocal Working Committee (RWC) on Social and Economic Reforms (SER), by the Arroyo regime’s police agents yesterday at Bago City, Negros Occidental. The AJLPP considered the arrest of Echanis a big blow against the cause of peace. Mr. Echanis was arrested by the PNP in Bago City while he was to attend a conference of agricultural workers in preparation for a KMP national rural congress. Negros is one the KMP’s strongest base where the National Federation Sugar Workers (NFSW) is based. He was flown by the PNP with haste to Hilongos , Leyte where he was detained.
RELEASE KMP LEADER RANDALL ECHANIS- Pesante-USA (tags)
The Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA. a Filipino peasant., human rights and environmental advocacy network in the United States and a member organization of the AJLPP, strongly condemns the arrest and detention of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) deputy secretary general Randall Echanis, 60 years old in the island of Negros last Monday, January 28,2008 in the Philippines. Pesante Coordinator Arturo Garcia said : “the arrest of Echanis, is a strong warning to legal activist to stop organizing the Filipino peasantry. It is also a strong arm tactic of the AFP and the PNP to implicate legal mass leaders to the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA as a part of their legal offensive.” “With the extension of Esperon as AFP Chief of Staff, the US-Arroyo regime will try to make out KMP and other legal mass organizations as “communist organizations” in order to present them as war trophies.