Manila, Philippines – Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations have called on President Aquino to solve the increasing number of transexuals killed in recent years. The plea was aired as LGBT groups commemorated the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) in Quezon City, lighting candles and reading poetry in memory of 100 transexual victims of murders all over the world.
Bemz Benedito, the transgender chairwoman of the political party Ladlad, led worshippers at the Metropolitan Community Church in Quezon City as a mass was dedicated to Filipino trans-women and men whose killings remain unsolved. In a statement, the Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch drew attention of the public and the government to the fact that many Filipino transgenders and those who were presumed as transgenders were murdered since 1996. (Marvyn N. Benaning)