The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expresses deep concern on reports that Randall ‘Randy’ Echanis remains, said to be a consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines were allegedly taken by police officers of the Quezon City Police District – La Loma Police Station from a funeral parlor after learning the identity of the body retrieved from a crime scene.
Based on the identification card found with the body, the remains were initially identified as ‘Manuel Santiago,’ but Echanis’ wife, Erlinda, was positive that the body is that of Randy’s.
Despite the termination of life, CHR reminds the government that such condition does not extinguish the government’s obligation to investigate violations and ensure that further injustices are prevented. The government, after all, remains to be the primary duty-bearer of the obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of all—without discriminating based on religion, social status, political affiliation, nor any identifier aside from a person’s humanity.
The issue then becomes a matter of respect for human dignity and speaks of the kind of society that we mold.
CHR has already launched investigation on the mentioned case to help bring truth to these allegations. And whoever is responsible for these indignities, we call on the government to act with urgency and seriousness in holding perpetrators to account in line with this administrations promise that it will not dodge its obligations when it comes to human rights.