Political detainee tops UP student council election

MANILA, Philippines — Jailed activist Amanda Echanis, 36, topped the University of the Philippines-Diliman election for councilors on May 16.

Echanis has been detained at the Cagayan provincial jail in Tuguegarao City since her arrest by government forces in December 2020.

Echanis is the daughter of National Democratic Front peace consultant Randall Echanis, who was killed in Quezon City on Aug. 10, 2020.

She was “the first political prisoner to win a UP council seat,” Fides Lim of the political detainees group KAPATID said.

“This milestone, achieved from behind bars, reflects the collective will of the UP student body and affirms the right to political participation even under the most difficult of circumstances,” Lim said.

Echanis received 4,830 votes, the highest among the eight winning candidates for UP councilor.

Her platform focused on academic freedom, arts and culture, social justice as well as organizational unity.

In her campaign video, Echanis said “life doesn’t end in prison. As they say, bloom where you are planted.”