A group advocating for transgender men's rights is seeking justice for the death of a transman whose decomposing and mutilated body was found at a vacant lot in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City.
Transman Equality and Awareness Movement in a statement said it is calling for "full and thorough investigation of this atrocious crime and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice to the full extent of the law" after transman Ebeng Mayor, 21, was found dead in Sitio Bakal.
Police said a 39-year-old man herding his cattle found his body "in decomposition stage" on Thursday afternoon.
Photo from Quezon City Police Station 13 sent to reporters showed Mayor's body beheaded while a wooden stick was shoved into the sensitive part of his body.
"This brutal act is a clear indication of a hate crime," the group said.
Mayor went missing for three days before he was discovered, his family said.
"Nagpapaalam na gagala lang daw tapos ‘yun po hindi na s’ya nakabalik (He told us that he would just go around but he no longer returned)," his mother, Cherry Tria, said in GMA News interview.
"May nagsabi lang po na...may babae daw na natagpuan...na ni-rape at hinoldap, tinapon lang doon sa bangin (His friend just told me that a woman was found by a cliff and was believed to be raped and held up)."
Police have yet to provide further details about the incident, but one suspect has already been arrested. He was charged with rape with homicide and robbery.