On the same week that we celebrated the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), Ebeng Mayor, a member of the trans masculine community, was recently found dead in Quezon City after being reported to be missing for days.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), as the country’s Gender Ombud, denounces all forms of gender-based violence directed towards transgender and gender non-conforming people. For our part, we shall be conducting an independent investigation and shall work closely with the authorities in pursuing justice for Ebeng and their family.

Such atrocious act epitomises 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. The long-held stigma and discrimination against them in our culture deny transgender people the opportunity to live freely, to enjoy equal protection under the law, and to be recognised as full members of our society. This 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.

We then urge, that from the side of the government, the police also conducts an immediate and full investigation on the death and suspected rape of Ebeng.

The Commission has been relentless in pushing for the enactment of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill to provide legal mechanisms to hold to account perpetrators of gender-based discrimination.

Now that the 2022 election is coming up, we must demand better from our elected officials, call for the urgent passage of pieces of legislation on anti-discrimination, and reject laws excluding protection of transgender persons appearing at the local and national levels. ###