I welcome and celebrate the acquittal and release of peasant organizer Amanda Echanis, who was today cleared of trumped-up charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Amanda endured five long years of unjust imprisonment since her arrest in December 2020, being one of the many victims of the Duterte administration’s systematic campaign against progressives. Her case followed a familiar, disturbing pattern: home raids, planted evidence, and the weaponization of the justice system to systematically eradicate the progressive movement. The Cagayan Regional Trial Court Branch 10 deserves commendation for seeing through this charade and upholding justice, however belatedly.
State authorities are rightly held to a high quantum of evidence and a strict standard of conduct in prosecuting the accused. These safeguards exist precisely to prevent the abuse of power which became routine under the Duterte administration. As the Cagayan RTC Branch 10 decision thoroughly documents, Amanda’s case lays bare the extreme lengths the military establishment is willing to go to to punish those who challenge an unjust status quo. Her acquittal is not only a personal vindication, but a reminder to all of us of the need for constant vigilance in the defense of our democratic rights.
