The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus is deeply alarmed by the recent deaths of transpinay people in the Philippines. We mourn the loss of Betty Benito, Teddy S. Federico, and Jang Caes Macawili, and extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, loved ones, and communities.
According to documentation by the Society of Trans Women of the Philippines (STRAP), three transgender women have been found dead within the span of one month, following the death of Bella Lutap in June. These deaths must not be treated as isolated incidents. Taken together, they point to a deeply concerning pattern of violence against transwomen and gender-diverse people and demand urgent action from law enforcement and the Philippine government.
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus views that the murder of transwomen is a form of femicide. Transwomen face violence that leads to the murder because of their gender identity and gender expression, compounded by stigma, discrimination, and the devaluation of their lives. When these murders are met with inadequate investigations, delayed justice, or impunity, perpetrators are emboldened and the risk of further violence increases.
On 27 July 2026, Betty Benito, a transgender woman from Barangay Manalog, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, was found dead among dense forestry. Betty was a beauty pageant contestant, student, and tourism leadership awardee. We welcome the reported arrest of the primary suspect in her murder on 7 August as an important step toward accountability. However, an arrest must be followed by a thorough investigation and a fair judicial process that establishes the full circumstances of her death and holds all those responsible accountable.
Another devastating case is that of Teddy S. Federico, 32, an Indigenous youth leader and barangay agricultural worker, whose body was found buried in Barangay Del Monte, Veruela, on 15 July after she had been missing for eight days. The severity of her injuries was such that her mother could no longer recognise her face. We welcome the adoption of Resolution No. 346, Series of 2026, by the Sangguniang Bayan of Veruela urging the Philippine National Police to expedite the investigation. We urge authorities to ensure that this call results in concrete action and justice for Teddy.
On 10 August, Jang Caes Macawili, 17, was reportedly shot multiple times inside an internet café in Sitio Laguna, Barangay Sambag Uno, Cebu City. The investigation remains ongoing. Jang's death, coming amid the recent murders of Betty and Teddy and the death of Bella Lutap in June, is another painful reminder of the threats faced by transpinays and gender-diverse people.
The lack of attention given to the recent murders of transwomen is itself alarming. These murders have received little sustained attention from the national media, while law enforcement responses have remained fragmented and without a clear recognition of the persisting violence against transwomen in the Philippines. These acts of violence persisted throughout Pride Month celebration in the Philippines and in the weeks following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s public message of solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community, in which he affirmed that inclusion must be reflected in policies and strengthened by institutions. As transwomen continue to be murdered, public expressions of solidarity cannot remain symbolic.
The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus calls on the Philippine National Police and all concerned authorities to:
- Conduct prompt, thorough, impartial, and transparent investigations into these deaths, including examining whether transphobia, gender-based violence, or other forms of bias contributed to the murders;
- Ensure that all perpetrators and any other persons responsible are identified and held accountable through due process;
- Respect the gender identities and dignity of victims throughout investigations, media reporting, and judicial proceedings;
- Strengthen mechanisms for documenting and monitoring violence against transgender people and gender-diverse communities; and
- Take urgent preventive measures to address the conditions that allow violence against transwomen to continue, including discrimination, stigma, and impunity.
Accountability for individual perpetrators is necessary, but it is not enough. The Philippine government must take concrete and sustained action to prevent these murders from continuing. Authorities must recognise the pattern, address the structural conditions that enable violence, and ensure that transgender people can live safely and with dignity. We welcome the filing of the House Resolution No.1369 directing the Committee on Women and Gender Equality to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the alarming cases of trans murders in the Philippines.
Every death is a life lost, a family devastated, and a community left grieving. Betty, Teddy, Jang, Bella, and every transwoman and gender-diverse person who has been killed deserve justice. Their deaths must not become statistics.
We stand with their families, loved ones, and communities in demanding truth, justice, accountability, and urgent action to stop the murder of transwomen in the Philippines.
