A transgender woman was found dead in Bolinao town, Pangasinan, Tuesday.
The victim was hacked to death and found covered with blood on the Patar white sand shore, September 17.
Noreen Barber, overall United Pangasinan Association LGBTQ+ president named the transgender woman as Jessa Remiendo.
Bolinao town police chief Major Dennis Cabigat confirmed the incident to Rappler. He also said that the killing was “unusual.”
According to the police report, Remiendo was last seen alive at a late-night drinking session with her sister and coworkers at the Valdevia Resort on Monday, September 16. Remiendo said she would just buy cigarettes, but she never returned.
Death of transgender woman caused fear in Pangasinan’s transgender community
Barber said Remiendo’s brutal death brought fear among the transgender community in Pangasinan.
She said it was the first time as far as she remembers that a transgender woman was savagely murdered in their province.
“We have a trans community here. We are widely accepted, and we work together,” Barber said.
She said their LGBTQ+ felt so accepted that they can freely walk in public, have boyfriends, and even marry. She was more shocked since Remiendo was known among them as one of the kindest transgender women in Pangasinan.
“I couldn’t imagine it happening. She was so kind. She was family-oriented,” Barber said.
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