June 27, 2011
PRESS RELEASE
One Life Too Many
Quezon City, Philippines – June 27, 2011 – Alarming numbers of LGBT killings sparked the initiative and is now earning support from the community.
Since The creation of the Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch – a loosely organized online community, the community has responded well to organizing an actual network.
“I was a lone wolf crying and it started in 2009. It was personal for me since I lost two friends…” Marlon Lacsamana always shares this as an introduction to the work he has done so far. “It was just pen and paper and thanks to Reighben Labilles, there is some semblance of a database,” Marlon said of the study that they have initially conducted.
The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch has recorded a total of 103 LGBT deaths from suspected hate crimes. 28 have been murdered as of this year alone. 43 of these deaths were recorded in the Greater Manila Area. Most of the deaths included brutal and grisly methods of killing.
The country does not have a Hate Crime law nor a study or official policy on the issue of Hate Crimes. Prejudice, bias, or hate towards any minority group (such as LGBT Filipinos, Indigenous Filipinos, Filipinos of Foreign Descent, and Filipinos from non-major religions) is not at all considered when investigating crimes. Because of the absence of an established system in the Philippines to prevent, identify or resolve Hate Crimes, it does not mean that they do not happen.
“103 is not just a number. Those are lives lost and families and friends who are grieving. It is not just a tick to record one killing because the loss of one life is one too many.” – Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch.
Attached is the analysis of the data gathered from 1996 to June 17, 2011. Also attached are US Anti-Hate Crime Bill and the version passed into Federal Law.
Download the analysis here. You check out the blogsite here.
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You can check out articles already written on this issue at:
Contact Person: Reighben Labilles @ 09179714096
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