Transgender woman dies days after being strangled, beaten during drinking spree

What was supposed to be a happy drinking session in Pasig City turned tragic after a transgender woman died after she was allegedly struck and strangled by two of her peers.

Victim Shaina, 29, had gone for a drink with four of her friends in Barangay Pineda on March 1. She was teasing one of the suspects but was asked by another LGBTQ member to stop. Tension escalated when the victim continued, leading to the one of the suspects becoming angry and strangling her.

“Ang inaasar ng biktima ay yung isang suspek na hindi LGBTQ. 'Yung 21 years old. Ngayon inaawat siya nung LGBTQ pero ayaw magpaawat kaya ang ginawa nung LGBTQ, base sa testimonya ng mga witnesses, sinakal nya itong biktima hanggang sa hindi na siya makahinga,” Police Major Loreto Padilla, Pasig City Police Chief of Investigation, said in Mark Salazar’s 24 Oras report on Monday.

(The victim was teasing the 21-year-old suspect who was not an LGBTQ. Another suspect, an LGBTQ, asked her to stop but she didn’t so the LGBTQ suspect strangled her until she could not breathe.)

“Imbes na umawat itong isang suspek, binubugbog pa niya 'yun biktima natin,” said Padilla.

(Instead of stopping the suspect, the 21-year-old beat up the victim.)

Witnesses said they saw blood coming out from Shaina’s ears, nose and mouth during the incident. The victim later managed to go home but after three days, she complained of a headache, prompting her to go to the hospital.

She passed away on March 7.

“’Yung isang suspek natin is parehas nya rin na LGBTQ, 26 yrs old siya. Yung isa naman ay 21 yrs old unemployed, walang trabaho. Hindi natin masabi sa ngayon kung sino nakapuro sa kanila pero base sa tinamong tama ay pinagtulungan talaga siyang bugbugin,” said Padilla.

(The other suspect was a 26-year old LGBTQ member. The 21-year-old was unemployed. We’re still looking into the case but based on the victim’s injuries, they ganged up on her.)

Police have filed homicide charges against the two suspects.

Meanwhile, the victim’s kin vowed justice for Shaina.

“Gusto ko hustisya ang mangyari sa anak ko... Ang sakit sa ginawa niyo sa anak ko,” Melinda, the victim’s mother, said.

(I want justice for her death. What they did was too much.)—Sundy/RF, GMA Integrated News