“It is imperative that those responsible for these violent acts be held accountable to end the culture of impunity.”
MANILA — A disturbing pattern.
The Makabayan bloc on August 13 filed House Resolution No. (HRN) 1369 urging the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality to conduct an investigation and review of existing policies after a series of trans killings from June to August.
The most recent case was the killing of Jang Caes Macawili, a trans woman who was shot multiple times at an internet cafe in Cebu City on August 10.
“[T]his pattern of violence, constitutes a severe violation of the right to life and security of person, and underscores the urgent need for legislative action to address hate crimes, strengthen protective mechanisms, and dismantle systemic discrimination that fuels such violence,” the resolution stated.
On June 20, trans woman Bella Lutap, 20, was found dead in an irrigation canal in Sitio Burnao, Zaragoza after being reported missing for three days.
The Nueva Ecija police identified her ex-boyfriend as the primary suspect. He was arrested and charged with murder.
Read: Justice sought for trans woman killed in Nueva Ecija
On July 15, Teddy Federico, a trans woman, indigenous youth leader, and a barangay agricultural worker was found dead eight days after being reported missing.
The investigation into her death is still ongoing. The Sangguniang Bayan Veruela adopted Resolution No. 346, urging the Philippine National Police (PNP) Veruela to expedite the investigation and submit a progress report to the council.
On July 28, Betty Benito, a trans woman from Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, was reported dead in a dense forest. She was found by the police and community members. The primary suspect in her killing has been arrested.
The resolution took note of the spate of trans killings in recent years, including the cases of Shalani Dolina, Kierra Apostol, Ren Tampus, Ali Macalintal, and Ebeng Mayor. It also reiterated the 2025 statement of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that flagged the spate of trans killings as “transfemicide”— gender-based killing driven by transphobia, misogyny, or systemic hatred.
Read: Recent killings of trans women prompt groups to push for LGBTQIA protection
“It is imperative that those responsible for these violent acts be held accountable to end the culture of impunity surrounding violence against marginalized communities,” the CHR statement read.
It urged the legislators and the administration for the passage of the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, or Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Equality Bill and the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill (CADB). It also demanded proper investigation from the law enforcement agencies.
Bulatlat asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the 10-year data of victims of homicide and murder, stratified by gender identity, including transgender people. The agency has yet to respond to the request.
Gender rights groups ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, STRAP, Bahaghari, Pioneer Filipino Trans Men Movement, Transmasculine Philippines, and Relentlessly Chase welcome the filing of the resolution. “We hope this process will provide space for meaningful dialogue, evidence-based discussion, and the perspectives of transgender communities, families of victims, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders,” the groups said.
They stressed that for the resolution to have meaningful impact, investigation must proceed promptly and transparently while involving the transgender communities and victims families to legislative, policy, and institutional change.
The SOGIESC Equality Bill and CADB are proposed legislative measures that seek to prohibit and penalize systemic discrimination against marginalized groups, including transgender individuals.
“Every life lost proves how this violence extends beyond the individual. Behind every case is a loved one being mourned, a family desperately seeking justice, and a community simultaneously living in fear under a system that fails to protect its constituents,” the groups said. (AMU, DAA)
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