Philippines: Political propaganda, Satur says on TF Usig’s info on arrested peasant leader

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PUBLISHED ON March 5, 2008 AT 4:34 PM

Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo today assailed Task Force Usig chief Director Jefferson Soriano for fabricating derogatory information and issuing political propaganda in anticipation of the release of detained peasant leader Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis.

Echanis, 59, deputy secretary general for external affairs of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), was arrested in Bago City in Negros Occidental last January 28 on a warrant issued by Judge Ephraim Abando for his alleged participation in the killing of civilians whose remains were found in a mass grave in Mt. Sapang Daku, Inopacan, Leyte in 2006. He is now detained at the Leyte Provincial Jail in Palo town.

Ocampo issued the statement after Soriano said that “Echanis was also involved in the assassinations of members of the Marxist-Leninist Party of the Philippines/Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan in Central Luzon.”

“Echanis is now only waiting for the court’s ruling on his motion to dismiss the case,” says Ocampo.

“Task Force Usig anticipates that the fabricated case the military and police filed against Echanis will not hold ground. Citing new cases without proof appears to be designed to hold him and prolong his detention,” the militant lawmaker said.

“Task Force Usig already announced it to the media even though they have nothing against him,” he said.

“This information from TF USig is all fabricated by the police and military just like the case in Hilongos, Leyte,” says Ocampo, a co-accused in the Leyte case.

The mass grave, discovered by the military on Aug. 26, 2006, was used as basis by the Philippine National Police in filing 15 counts of murder against Echanis and his co-accused, included CPP founding chair Jose Ma. Sison and Ocampo who was freed on P100,000 bail.

In debunking the charge, Ocampo said that “from 1983 to 1984, Echanis was detained under solitary confinement and held incommunicado in Camp Aguinaldo. Even his close relatives and lawyers were not allowed to visit him.”

“From 1984 to 1986, he was transferred to Camp Adduru, Regional Command 2 Stockade in Tuguegarao, Cagayan until his release in March 1986. For two years, Echanis was under solitary confinement,” the Bayan Muna lawmaker said. #

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Philippines: Political propaganda, Satur says on TF Usig’s info on arrested peasant leader

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