MANILA – An eighteen-year-old trans woman was found lifeless in a Cagayan province river this Monday, June 23, days after she was reported missing.
The most recent victim was Kierra Apostol, formerly known as Gian Molina, a resident of Zone 7, Centro, Peñablanca and a business management student of Cagayan State University.
Bahaghari, a Philippine alliance of LGBT organizations, said the incident is another harrowing case of violence against Filipino trans women.
“Kierra could’ve been celebrating with her community in Cagayan this Pride month, but her life was cut short due to hate perpetuated by a macho-patriarchal culture,” Reyna Valmores Salinas said, Bahaghari chairperson said.
In an interview with the local media 95.7 XFM Tuguegarao, the mother of the victim, Marinel Morina, said that her child asked for permission to sleep over at the home of a friend in the same town around 8:00 p.m. It was the last time Gian was seen alive and all attempts to contact her by phone since have failed.
Kierra was feared missing when two of her friends visited their home to ask about her whereabouts on Sunday evening. Molinea reported the incident to the Peñablanca Police Station on Monday, June 23.
The victim’s mother revealed visible signs of physical assault when the body was found floating in the river.
A certain “Menco de Guzman” also surfaced in the course of investigation, later identified as “Sherwin Kyqle”, a criminology student at the University of Cagayan Valley. He voluntarily surrendered to the police station to clear his name after being mentioned in Facebook posts insinuating involvement.
He admitted that he was the one who picked up Kierra on Saturday night but denied killing her. Sherwin said he was with two to three companions at the time of the supposed murder.
Salinas said that the brutal killing is further proof that LGBTQ+ persons remain unsafe in the Philippines, calling for the immediate passage of a law against discrimination and violence.
“Kierra’s case is an urgent reminder to pass the SOGIESC Equality Bill, which will provide legal remedies against acts of discrimination,” Salinas added.
On June 23, a trans woman, former journalist and activist was killed by an unidentified gunman while inside an acupuncture clinic in General Santos.
Ali Macalintal was a former deputy secretary general of Karapatan-Soccsksargen Region and a former anchor-reporter of Radio Philippines Network DXDX-General Santos City.
Read: Groups denounce killing of former activist, journalist in GenSan
Bahaghari also decried the killing of Macalintal. They also reported the killing of another trans woman, Shalani Dolina, in Caloocan earlier this year.
Read: Brutal killing of trans woman in Caloocan prompts calls for investigation, passage of SOGIE bill
No legislation to protect people from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression has been passed in the Philippines. The SOGIESC Equality Bill had been stuck in Congress in the past 25 years.
The latest version of the SOGIE Equality Bill was filed by the Makabayan Bloc in 2022 as House Bill No. 5551. In the Senate, the SOGIE Bill was filed as Senate Bill No. 1600 by senators Risa Hontiveros, Loren Legarda and Mark Villar.
Read: After 25 years, SOGIESC Bill still awaits passage
The proposed measures seek to prohibit refusal of admission or expulsion of a person from any educational or training institution open to the general public, denial of public and health services, infliction of physical harm, verbal abuse, among others against LGBT community members. (AMU, RBV)
0 Comments