Paralegal officer who claimed body of ‘Manuel Santiago’ nabbed in QC

THE Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Wednesday said it arrested and charged for obstruction of justice a paralegal officer who allegedly managed to get the remains of Manuel Santiago whom, he claimed, was National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultant Randall “Randy” Echanis.

BGen. Ronnie Montejo, the city’s police director, said Paolo Fernando Colabres, 49, a Caloocan City resident, was arrested by the district’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) early Tuesday morning in Barangay Paang Bundok, La Loma.

Prior to the arrest, Colabres, together with a certain lawyer Luz Perez, appeared at the Pink Petals Funeral Services in La Loma where police brought Santiago’s body.

They allegedly claimed that the remains was that of their relative whom they identified as Echanis, the QCPD said.

The duo, after presenting documents to the funeral home supervisor, Richard Balintong, reportedly pretended that they coordinated with CIDU and was given approval to claim the body.

Afterwards, they immediately transferred the body to St. Peter’s Funeral Home in Quezon Avenue, also in Quezon City.

However, upon discovery that there was no coordination with the CIDU on the release and transfer of the body, La Loma policemen, led by Lt. Ronaldo Ambatang, arrested Colabres while Perez managed to escape.

The arrest came after Santiago and his neighbor, identified as Louie Tagapia, 48, were found dead early Monday morning inside their rented house in Petronian Street, Barangay Nova Proper, Novaliches, also in the city.

Meanwhile, the body of Santiago, identified by investigators through his Innotech Solutions International identification card found at the crime scene, was brought back to Pink Petals Funeral Home while an investigation was ongoing, according to Montejo.

He urged those who have knowledge about the incident to come forward to help the QCPD resolve the twin murders.

Montejo assured informers that their names would be withheld in exchange for vital information regarding the incident.

The QCPD chief said that fingerprints and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) comparison with the nearest relative would be undertaken to validate the claim of a militant group that Santiago was Echanis.

“For the meantime, we should stick with the facts of the case. If anyone can give any relevant information, please report to the nearest police station for the immediate resolution of this case,” Montejo said.

Erlinda Echanis, wife of Randy Echanis, also the national chairman of militant group Anakpawis and Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas deputy secretary-general, said there was no doubt that the body was that of her 71-year-old husband.

“I condemn the persistent harassment of PNP (Philippine National Police) La Loma-QCPD and their brazen act of snatching the remains of my husband Randall ‘Randy’ Echanis from us,” she said.

Echanis’ wife said she had positively identified his body which bore torture marks, multiple stab and gunshot wounds before it was “forcibly” taken by the police and brought it back to the La Loma funeral homes.

Source: TheManila Times