Arrest of slain NDF consultant’s daughter legal: PNP

Sinas insisted that Amanda Echanis is a part of the communist movement, particularly the New People’s Army (NPA). (File photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday dismissed allegations of the Anakpawis Party-list that the firearms and explosives seized in an operation that led to the arrest of the daughter of slain National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Randy Echanis were planted.

“’Yung sinabi nila na planting (of evidence) hindi po totoo yun kasi papaano ka mag-plant ng mga baril na’to kasi mga bago, mga high caliber mahirap po mag-plant noon bahay n’ya yun eh (What they claim as the planting of evidence is not true because how would you be able to plant these new and high-caliber guns. It would be difficult to do that in her house),” PNP chief, Gen. Debold Sinas said in a television interview.

Sinas insisted that Amanda Echanis is a part of the communist movement, particularly the New People’s Army (NPA).

“Her husband is an NPA leader in Cagayan Valley, that is why she has firearms. Hindi basta-basta pinamalita dahil kumukuha pa kami ng ebidensya tungkol dyan at hindi totoong wala sya sa underground, meron po yan, ang problema lang kasi ‘yung mga report namin walang gustong to come up at mag-testify para mafile-an ng kaso kaya nung natiktikan na may mga baril sila sa bahay, inapplyan ng search warrant (This was not immediately made public because we are still gathering evidence against her and it is not true that she is not a part of the underground movement. The problem was no one wants to come forward and testify so that we could file charges. So when we learned upon surveillance that they have guns in their home, we have applied for a search warrant),” he added.

Sinas also maintained that it was Amanda who insisted to bring his baby to the police station after she was arrested in an operation in Baggao, Cagayan on Wednesday morning.

Police officers served the search warrants dated Nov. 27 issued by Judge Sheila Gacutan-Labuguen of the Baggao Municipal Trial Court.

The search was witnessed by village chief Velario Calderon and village councilors Kagawad Imelda Baniaga, and Ronald Reyes.

The search yielded an M16 ARIS Colt 5.56mm assault rifle with SN 4951346; a long plastic magazine for an M16 rifle; a long steel magazine for M16 Rifle; 20 pieces of live ammunition for M16 rifle and two hand grenades.

Amanda is the finance officer of the West Front of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) regional committee operating in Cagayan, authorities said.

She will be presented before a prosecutor for inquest proceedings.

Amanda was detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional office in Cagayan.

To ensure the safety of the baby, Sinas said social workers were present there to assist Amanda and her one-month-old baby.

Meanwhile, five suspected communist terrorists were killed in a separate operation in South Cotabato.

In a report to Sinas, Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 (Soccsksargen) director, Brig. Gen. John Michael Dubria identified the fatalities as Bernie Canyon alias Delmar, Rogelio Magsaya alias Sargs/Delio; Romeo Hebron alias Frank/Melvin; a certain Ka Mercy, and a certain Mckoy, who belong to the Guerilla Front 53 of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

The suspects were killed after they opened fire on officers from the Lake Sebu Municipal Police Station and the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office who were about to serve warrants of arrest against them on Wednesday for charges of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder.

Sinas said the operation is part of the legal offensive action of the PNP under Executive Order No. 70, creating the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Recovered from the suspects were a caliber 5.56 M16 Rifle; a cal.30 Carbine; a Cal.45 pistol; a Cal.40 pistol; and an improvised explosive device and IED components.