Photo from Cagayan PPO
MANILA, Philippines — The 1- year-old child of Amanda Echanis, a suspected New People’s Army (NPA) leader was not arrested and was instead extended due care during a police operation which resulted in the seizure of several firearms and explosives in Cagayan Wednesday morning, police said on Thursday.
Echanis is allegedly the finance officer of the West Front-Komiteng Probinsya ng Cagayan (KOMPROB) of Cagayan Valley Regional Party Committee of the New People’s Army operating in Cagayan.
“The child was not arrested along with Ms. Echanis as claimed by some groups. In fact, an ambulance was sent with medical personnel to assist the mother and her child. It was Ms. Echanis who insisted na isama nya ang anak niya. (She was the one who insisted to be near her daughter). DSWD was also notified and requested for their assistance,” Lieutenant Colonel Andree Abella, chief of the public information office of the Cagayan police, said in a statement.
Abella was reacting to Anakpawis’ claim that law enforcers arrested Echanis’ 1-year-old baby after a search warrant was served in Barangay Carupian, in Baggao, Cagayan.
Amanda is the daughter of Randall Echanis, who was Anakpawis chairperson and National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant, when was shot and killed in an apartment in Quezon City last August 10.