Lawmaker wants rise in LGBT hate crimes probed

A lawmaker has filed a resolution at the House of Representatives seeking a probe in the reported rise of hate crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) in the country. Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño filed on Tuesday House Resolution 1432 urging the House committee on human rights to conduct a legislative inquiry on criminal offenses motivated by bias against a person’s sexual orientation. “Congress must weigh in on these hate crimes since these have been going on for decades and are not given attention by policy and law enforcement," he told GMA News Online in a text message on Wednesday. In his resolution, the party-list lawmaker cited a report released by the Philippine LGBT Crime Watch, which said that 27 LGBT killings have already been recorded in the country just this year. The group said this number is more than twice the annual average of LGBT killings a decade ago. The congressman said Congress should immediately pass a legislation “to put an end to these gruesome and senseless" incidents of hate crimes. “It is the duty of Congress to look into what may be an alarming trend of violence and hate against LGBTs in order to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice, the victims protected, and the legal framework improved," he said in the resolution. Casiño also cited the recent stabbing of actor-director Ricky Rivero, which he described as “the latest in a series of recent violent crimes against homosexual and transgender persons" in the country. Two weeks ago, Rivero suffered 17 stab wounds after he was attacked using a bread knife by suspect Ivan Ruiz, whom he met through the social networking site Facebook. Ruiz has already been arrested and police have already declared the case closed. - VVP, GMA News