The Philippine Commission on Human Rights and the national police vow justice for the killing earlier this month of online personality Ebeng Mayor, a transgender man.
Ebeng Mayor (Photo from Transman Equality and Awareness Movement – Philippines)
On May 21, transmasculine Ebeng Mayor was found dead with evidence of mutilation and rape after being reported missing for three days.
In a separate incident, the body of trans woman Jhie Bangkiao was found naked in the middle of the cemetery in Alangalang, Leyte.
Both members of the transgender community were found brutally murdered a few days after the commemoration of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia.
In a statement, Gabriela Youth Pampanga said the murder of Mayor and Bangkiao points to a hate crime.
“Ito’y isang malinaw na manipestasyon na hindi ligtas at kailangan ng matibay na proteksyon at seguridad ng mga kasapi ng nasabing komunidad (This is a clear manifestation that it’s unsafe for the members of the community and we need strong protection and secutity),” the group said
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) launched an investigation on the Ebeng Mayorrape-slay case.
“Such atrocious act epitomizes the reality of members of the LGBTQIA+ community who face higher rates of hate-motivated violence, which can often take the form of sexual violence,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.
Guia added act of violence further underlines the urgent need to strengthen protections against gender non-conforming persons, address issues of access to justice and strengthen the campaign against hate, stigma and discrimination.
“The Commission has been relentless in pushing for the enactment of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression Equality Bill to provide legal mechanisms to hold to account perpetrators of gender-based discrimination,” De Guia said.
A day after promising to solve the case, national police chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar announced on Sunday, May 23, the arrest of three people tagged in the brutal killing of transman Ebeng Mayor in Quezon City. He identified those arrested as Zander dela Cruz, Joel Loyola and Richard Araza.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 23) The Philippine National Police on Sunday said it has filed rape with homicide and robbery cases against three individuals, including the victim’s childhood friend, over the brutal killing of 21-year-old trans man Ebeng Mayor.
The suspects were identified by the PNP as Mayor’s childhood friend, 22-year-old Zander Dela Cruz, alias “Dugong”; 30-year-old Joel Loyola, alias Nonoy Sablay”; and 34-year-old Richard Elvin Araza, alias Tiago.”
They were arrested on Saturday, four days after the slay and two days after Mayor’s body was found at a vacant lot in Brgy. Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, said Elmer Monsalve, the chief of the QC police s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.