MANILA, Philippines — Three suspects in the rape and murder of a 21-year-old trans man in Quezon City were arrested on Friday.
Zander dela Cruz was the first to be taken into custody after he admitted that he and two others raped and killed his childhood friend, Norriebi Tria, also known as Ebeng Mayor.
Probers initially invited Dela Cruz for questioning at the Quezon City police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) at Camp Karingal at around 7:30 p.m. During the course of the investigation, he admitted in front of Tria’s father that he took part in the victim’s murder.
He named the other suspects as Richard Elvin Araza and Joel Loyola, residents of Barangay Payatas who were arrested in a follow-up operation. The three are detained at CIDU.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar vowed justice for Trias’ family.
Probers are waiting for the results of the autopsy on Tria’s body to determine if the victim was raped.
Dela Cruz told probers he hit Tria on the head with a stone, knocking him unconscious. They then took turns raping him, he said.
According to a police report, the suspects took Tria’s cell phone, wristwatch and gold necklace before dumping his body in Bagong Silangan.
Tria was missing for three days after a drinking binge with friends in Barangay Commonwealth on Monday. He was later found dead at a vacant lot in Barangay Bagong Silangan on Thursday afternoon.
CHR probes killing
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday said it has initiated an investigation on the killing.
“Such atrocious act epitomizes the reality of members of the LGBTQIA+ community who face higher rates of hate-motivated violence, which can often take the form of sexual violence,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.
The act of violence further underlines the urgent need to strengthen protections against gender non-conforming persons, address issues of access to justice and strengthen the campaign against hate, stigma and discrimination, she added.
“The Commission has been relentless in pushing for the enactment of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression Equality Bill to provide legal mechanisms to hold to account perpetrators of gender-based discrimination,” De Guia said. – Janvic Mateo