MANILA, Philippines — The three suspects behind the brutal killing of transgender man Ebeng Mayor have been arrested and formally charged by the prosecutor’s office, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced Sunday.
PNP identified the suspects as Zander Gal Dela Cruz, Joel Montoban Loyola, and Richard Elvin Delima Araza.
The suspects were charged with rape with homicide and robbery in the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Saturday, May 22.
An additional complaint of Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition was filed against Loyola.
According to PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Mayor’s body was found around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday in a vacant lot at Sitio Bakal, Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.
Transman Equality and Awareness Movement–Philippines said Mayor was missing for three days before his body was found.
The incident happened the same week as the celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).
“To the family of Ebeng, I know that we cannot bring [him] back but with the PNP’s kept promise of bringing their killers to justice, we hope that this somehow lessens the pain of your loss,” said Eleazar in a statement.
On Saturday, The Commission on Human Rights said that the death of Mayor emphasizes the need to pass and enact the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Equality (SOGIE) bill.
The bill, according to CHR, will crack down on discrimination and abuse of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.
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