THE PHILIPPINE STAR
's lmetro
EDITOR: DULCE
By EMMANUEL TUPAS
ghe was prevented from using a restroon for.women at
The arrest and detention of a transgpnder woman after ' ouffered"
a mall in Cubao, Quezon City cauaed
Gretchen Custodio Dtez, 28,
was placed in handcuffs and
detained at police station for
a para sumilut ang baWang lto,!'
11 hours after she entered the
women's restroom of Farmer's
Plaza at the Araneta Center.
During a confrontation
with janitress Chayra Ganal,
Diez said she took out her
cell phone and recorded the
incident on video to docu-
ment the discrimination made
against her.
'"The complainant immedi
ately sought the assistance of
the security guard on duty,"
Cubao police station com-
mander Lt. Col. Giovanni Hy-
centh Caliao said in a report.
, Securi:ty guard Meriegen
Mauro, 31, along with Ganal
and another janifress, Honey-
lea |oy Balili, brought Diez to
the mall's security office.
Ganal hurled rhrrr at Diez
while she streamed the inci-
dent on Facebook Live.
As Diez continued with
her broadcast, Gana1 insulted
the transgender woman and
..called her out because of her
sexuality,
l,
A gAl{G}lE TI{URSDAY
against the mall management
because of the humiliation I
r Shg saidDiez
said.
she never imag-
a stir on Thesday. ined she would suffer dib-
crimination in Quezon City,
" Hindi lu maganila Wra mag- which ie known for its strict
ing sih,at ka... Share at like 'nyo enforcement of gender equal-
ity ordinance.
Ganal said. "Hindi ko ine-expect na. sa
Diez was taken to the Cu- Quezol City ko pa tinanggap
bao police station at around it ol g gahifong discrimination
4:20 p.m. where she suffered she said. '
morehumiliation after sht was
handctrffed.
'llouro rets probe
Aftef undergoing a medi- Lawmakers set ? coflgfies-
cal examination, Diez was sional probe on the discririina-
brought to the Quezon City tion against Diez.
Police District (QCPD) Anti- Bataan first district Rep.
Cybercrime Team office at Geraldirte Roman and Ga-
Car.rrp Karingal. " briela party-list Rep. Arlene
She was brought back to Brosas yesterday filed a joint
the QCPD StationT as the only resolution calling for an in-
case that could be filed against vestigation on the harassment
her was uniust vexation. ofrDiez.
Diez was freed after Ganal "As a transgender woman
dropped the complaint against myself, I find it unfair. Here
the trans wofnan. (in the House), I am allowed .
They agreed to settle the to use the women's restroom.
dispute at the barangay hall. Why are we depriving ordi-
Ganal wrote a letter to Diez nary transgender women of
the same right?" Roman said.
expressing her regrets, but re-
fused to apologized in public. "She went to the mall's
In a television interview, cornfort room because of her
Diez said she would pursue basic human need. But she
legal actions against the man- was handcuffed and paraded
agement of Farmers Plaza. as if she was a criminal," she
"I will $ile a complaint added.
4\ P4
+€ --ro a
{
I AUGUST 15, 2019
Roman, the first transgen-
der woman elected to Con-
gress, said the incident under-
icores the need to enact her
proposed Sexual Orientation,
Gerider Identity and Equality
(socrE) bilr.
Roman visited Diez at the
oolice station where she ad-
inonished the niall's employ-
ees for their actions.
" Brosas said the incident was
a clear case of discrimination
against the lesbiart, gdfibisex-
ual and transgender (LGBT+)
community.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros urged
her colleagues in the Senate to
pass the SOGIE bill.
Arestroom for LGBT mem-
bers has been constructed in
the Human ltights Affairs Of-
fice (HRAO) at the Philippine
National Police headquarters
at Camp Crame in Quezon
City.
, "We want to be gender-sen-
sitive. So we put up a comfort
room for the LGBT commu-
frW," HRAO chief Brig. Gen.
Dennis Siervo said.
Workers' gioup
defends janitress
The Federation of Free
Workers (FFW) defended Ga-
nal, saying Jhe rnall manage-
ment should be held account-