CHR assures: We’re still probing killings of activists Echanis, Alvarez

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has assured lawmakers that it is still investigating the killings of peace consultant Randall Echanis and rights worker Zara Alvarez, who were activists slain just a week apart.

During the deliberation of CHR’s budget at the House of Representatives plenary late Thursday night, Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago asked the commission how it was faring with the investigations.

“Ang CHR po ay nagkaron ng boluntaryong pahayag pagdating sa pagiging independent observer sa pag-imbestiga ho sa pamamaslang sa peace consultant and genuine agrarian reform advocate na si Randy Echanis, at human rights defender at health worker na si Zara Alvarez,” Elago said

(CHR had a voluntary move to become an independent observer in investigating the death of peace consultant and agrarian reform advocate Randy Echanis and human rights defender and health worker Zara Alvarez.)

“Pwede po ba tayong bigyan ng update ng CHR tungkol sa tinatakbo na ng kanilang imbestigasyon?” she asked.

(Can the CHR give us an update on how their investigations are going?)

To this, Rizal 1st District Rep. Michael Duavit, who sponsored CHR’s budget, said that the CHR is still in the process of investigating the attacks.

“The investigation is ongoing Mr. Speaker, nilo-locate na po ang mga witnesses, at meron po namang nasabing close coordination with the family at sa mga abugado po,” Duavit replied.

(The investigation is ongoing, Mr. Speaker. They are locating the witnesses, and they have been in close coordination with the family and the lawyers.)

Elago meanwhile asked CHR for a written report on the status of investigations of the task forces created to investigate the two cases, to which Duavit agreed.

Echanis, former National Democratic Front of the Philippines consultant, was found dead in his rented home in Novaliches, Quezon City last August 10.  Controversy soon followed the case, with activists putting the blame on state forces while police officers claimed that the dead body did not belong to Echanis.

After the family recovered Echanis’ cadaver, police soon retrieved it, only to admit later on that it was indeed Echanis.

A week after, Alvarez was killed near her neighborhood in Barangay Mandalagan of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Probes on red-tagging too

During the deliberations, Elago, who is often a victim of red-tagging or being linked to the communist armed movement, asked whether or not CHR is also including incidents of red-tagging in its probes.

Duavit, who was with CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon and Spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia, noted that there are already steps taken to address Elago’s concerns.  He also answered Elago’s questions on if there was a budget for red-tagged individuals who may seek CHR’s help, which is around P120 million across the country.

“On the particular case Mr. Speaker, the CHR issued a human right defenders report in July of 2020, there’s a national inquiry on HRDs and inspections of those offices,” Duavit said.

“Investigations of red-tagging are ongoing, for alleged human rights violations.  And if there are places —like special requests for example, removal of places of dangers — the Commission also (acts on it),” he added.

He also assured that CHR would immediately respond to complaints, especially if the complainant has evidence at hand to prove his or her claims.

This is not the first time Elago and her fellow lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc questioned government agencies during the budget discussions over red-tagging them and other activities.

Last September 9, the Presidential Communications Operations Office’s budget was stalled at the committee level after Makabayan solons moved to suspend hearings, due to Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy’s social media posts.

Badoy, also a member of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, was responsible for several posts tagging Elago and other lawmakers as members of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

JE