Kathmandu. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has strongly condemned the brutal murder of veteran peasant leader Randal Echanis, popularly known as “Ka Randy” or “Ka Randall” in the Philippines and demanded justice for him.
The NDFP also conveyed its condolences to his wife, children, and the rest of the family, his comrades and friends, especially the peasants whom he served and who love him.
Randall “Ka Randy” Echanis was the Chairperson of the Anakpawis Party List and the Deputy Secretary-General of Peasant Movement of the Philippines (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas- KMP). He was an important peace-activist, peace negotiator and one of the major political consultant of the NDFP on Agrarian Reform and Peasant issues and spent many years working with the peasant masses for genuine land reform, which was the main democratic content of the Philippine revolution as the peasant masses comprise 75% of the population.
Duterte Regime is assassinating activists and common people, even the elected people’s representatives, in the Philippines without any formal process of jurisdiction. Ka Randay was charged of being a central committee member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) by the government agencies, which is undergoing a protracted people’s war for decades in the Philippines with a strong New People’s Army (NPA).
The NDFP is the revolutionary united front organization of the Filipino people fighting for national freedom and for the democratic rights of the people, which was on 24 April 1973 and aims to develop and coordinate all progressive classes, sectors and forces in the Filipino people’s struggle to end the rule of US imperialism and its local allies of big landlords and compradors, and attain national and social liberation.
Full text of the media statement by NDFP:
Glory and Honor to Ka Randall Echanis, Beloved Martyr of the Filippino People
12 August 2020
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
National Executive Committee
Glory and honor to Ka Randall Echanis, beloved martyr of the Filipino people who served the people until his life was brutally ended by fascists on August 10, 2010.
The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) most vigorously condemns the brutal murder of our beloved Ka Randall! We demand justice for Ka Randall!
The NDFP conveys its most heartfelt condolences to his wife, children and the rest of the family, his comrades and friends, especially the peasants whom he served and who love him!
Ka Randall spent many years working with the peasant masses for genuine land reform. This is the main democratic content of the Philippine revolution, since the peasant masses comprise 75% of the population.
After many years of serving the peasantry and being imprisoned several times, Ka Randall became a very active member of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)’s Reciprocal Working Committee on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER). He made use of all his expertise in pushing for the free distribution of land to the peasants as an essential part of the program for genuine land reform and national industrialization.
He was an essential part of the NDFP RWC on CASER during peace negotiations with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines as head of the RWCSER subcommittee on agrarian reform and rural development. During the 3rd Round of Peace Negotiations with the Duterte Government, Ka Randall and his team won a great achievement when both Negotiating Panels agreed to the free distribution of land to the peasants.
Ka Randall spoke eloquently at a forum organized by Church groups in Rome. He brought out the necessity of genuine land reform and national industrialization to address the roots of the armed conflict and achieve a just and lasting peace for the Filipino people.
He worked tirelessly in the bilateral team of the NDFP in forging an agreement on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ARRD) and National Industrialization and Economic Development (NIED) in early November 2017. These were two vital parts of the CASER. The two bilateral teams of the NDFP and the GRP initialled a common draft in mid-November 2017. This would be taken up by the RWCSERs of both sides to move the NDFP-GRP peace negotiations decisively forward.
But, President Duterte, after meeting with US President Trump on November 12-13 at the ASEAN summit in Manila, abruptly declared the termination of the peace negotiations on November 23, 2017!
Ka Randall persevered in his service to the peasant masses. Already in 2007, he was a major factor in the forging of the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB). This was presented to Congress. Even the Vice-Chair of the GRP Peace Panel, former Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza stated that GARB was the true answer to the peasants’ demand for genuine land reform.
Ka Randall was the Chairperson of the Anakpawis Party List and the Deputy Secretary General of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).
He was loved by the peasant masses and higly respected by peace advocates because he was dedicated, unassuming and humble.
Long live the inspiring legacy of our beloved Ka Randall, martyr of the Filipino people!
Long live the peasant masses he loved and served!
Long live the people’s struggle for national and social liberation, and for a just and lasting peace!
Luis G. Jalandoni
Member, National Executive Committee
National Democratic Front of the Philippines
