Cops pressed to identify, arrest killer of LGBTQIA+ leader in Bohol town
John Engelbert Liao, an LGBTQIA+ local leader in Guindulman town Bohol, dies five days after an unidentified assailant shot her on June 29, 2022. (Contributed photo)
TAGBILARAN CITY — More individuals joined appeals to law enforcers to identify and arrest the perpetrators in killing a local leader of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community.
Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor of Bohol’s third district condemned the killing of John Engelbert Liao, who was shot while driving his motorcycle in Guindulman town last Wednesday night, June 29.
“This time, I am asking all Guindulmanons that we unite, stand up, not be afraid and help all of us to speed up the investigation of the case. What you saw and observed at the time, we will release that information. We will not agree that we cannot do justice to the incident. We don’t harvest Guindulmanon! The tersero district is not harvested!” said Tutor in a Facebook post on Monday.
Liao was rushed to the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City where he underwent surgery for serious gunshot wounds on his chest and shoulder. But the victim died on Monday morning, July 4.
Patrolman Alchito Felecia, desk officer of Guindulman Police Station, said that investigation was still ongoing.
Liao was the founder of 3gb, an LGBTQIA+ community in Guindulman. She and her team were heavily involved in outreach programs.
Last Friday, a veteran print-broadcast journalist voluntarily submitted himself to the Guindulman police to clear his name.
Fred Amora, a newspaper editor and public affairs radio commentator, voluntarily made his statements to clear his name regarding the incident.
“I came to this police station to clear my name on this incident after a news item came out mentioning that the victim was arrested in 2019 due to cyber libel charges,” said Amora.
He filed two cyber libel cases against Liao on September 2, 2019.
“But as of the moment, me and my family have learned to forgive Liao; and in our last court hearing, me and his lawyer Atty. Menedio ‘Em-em’ Bernido had talks of possible amicable settlement,” Amora said.
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