A plea for help in the immediate release of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas deputy secretary general for external affairs, Randall Echanis, was made to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines by the KMP yesterday.

The KMP claimed Echanis was illegally arrested, detained and transferred by government forces from Bago City to Leyte .

The KMP press statement also said that Echanis had cried torture from his police and military custodians from Bago City in Negros Occidental to Hilongos town in Leyte .

Echanis, alias Ka Randy, was apprehended by intelligence operatives of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office Monday, at a farmer's training center in Brgy. Calumangan, Bago City .

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police director, denied that any torture took place, pointing out that Echanis' companions were with him from the time he was arrested up to when he was in police custody.

Franco said he is also filing a complaint for obstruction against the companions of Echanis for delaying the police in serving a warrant of arrest to him.

The police went to the training center at 2:30 p.m. and were able to serve the warrant only at 5 p.m. because of obstructions by his companions, Franco said.

Franco also disputed claims that policemen wearing bonnets conducted the raid. There were no bonnets and no raid, he said.

The police were only serving a lawful court order, he said.

Fred Caña, Karapatan Negros secretary general, said photo and video shots taken by KMP at the time of the incident showed the arresting men in civilian clothes and wearing bonnets.

Judge Ephraim Abando had issued a warrant of arrest for Echanis who, with Satur Ocampo and exiled CPP leader Jose Maria Sison, was among the 56 respondents in multiple murder charges, related to the discovery of mass graves in Hilongos, Leyte .

Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, KMP chairman and concurrent president of ANAKPAWIS party list, said “Ka Randy was there to help in the preparations of farm workers and agricultural workers for the National Rural Congress being called for by the CBCP and to show their support for the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill or House Bill 3059.

Jobert Pahilga, lawyer of Echanis, said his client and his family were subjected to “deceit, intense pressure tantamount to mental and psychological torture”.

“It's worse than physical torture. We are now thinking of filing appropriate charges against the military and police officers," Pahilga said.

Echanis' wife, Erlinda, assailed what she called "the police and military's use of excessive force and resources" against her husband.*CPG

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