Opposition Senator Leila de Lima on Friday deplored the brutal murder of a member of the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, and other sexual identities) community from the Integrated Laboratory School of Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) last May 17.
De Lima said the killing warrants serious and thorough investigation to shed light on the ruthless incident and ensure that justice will be served.
“Mariin nating kinokondena ang karumal-dumal na pagpatay sa isang miyembro ng LGBTQIA+ community na si Khay Abdulgajir (We condemn the killing of an LGBTQIA+ community Khay Abdulgajir),” said de Lima.
“Kailangan ng patas at agarang imbestigasyon dito para panagutin ang may sala. Wala dapat puwang sa lipunan ang ganitong brutal at kahindik-hindik na karahasan (There should be fair and immediate investigation here. Heinous crimes like this should have no place in our society),” she said.
“It’s appalling how some people have no qualms to kill, as if life is so cheap that they can simply take it away whenever they like. No family deserves to suffer the pain of losing their loved ones to violence,” she said.
A senior high student of Integrated Laboratory School MSU-TCTO, Abdulgajir, was reporterly murdered at Midvalley, Nalil, Bongao.
According to police report, Abdulgajir was stabbed five times in her body and sustained one deep wound on the neck.
De Lima stressed the urgent need for Filipinos to collectively express their outrage and tirelessly demand for accountability for all the victims of killings and violence.
“Isa lamang si Khay sa libu-libong brutal na pinatay sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang rehimen na ginawang kultura ang pamamaslang at kawalan ng pananagutan (Khay is just one of the thousands who were brutally killed under this present regime which promoted a culture of impunity),” said the senator.