Last June 28, Awra Briguela was arrested by the Makati police after she got involved in a brawl outside a bar. Videos circulating online document the actress being forcefully restrained and put in handcuffs after a fight with two men, namely Mark Ravana and Jed Mengote, who reportedly sexually harassed her friends.
Through her Instagram stories, the victim detailed that the two men were making inappropriate advances on her throughout the evening, even blatantly touching her private parts. She says that Awra calmly came to her defense, but the two were the first ones to throw punches. Awra retaliated, resulting in an altercation that prompted the local police's attention. Instead of arresting the harassers though, the police took Awra into custody, much to the chagrin of netizens online.
Drag Race Philippines season 1 contestant Marina Summers pointed out the "excessive use of force" exhibited by the policemen in the video. Awra was evidently unarmed during the incident, which made the officers' course of action questionable. She then called on Mayor Abby Binay to address the issue, citing how Poblacion has become "such a cruel place for queer people." Other netizens echo the sentiment, expressing how there was a lack of action taken with the actual suspects.
Users bring up how the incident occured at a very poignant time, during the tail end of Pride Month. Makati City, notably, just held one of the biggest Pride Marches in the country not one week before Awra was unjustly arrested.
Mela Habijan expresses how systematically unfair things have always been for trans women like Awra. "Trans women end up getting all the punches and blows, leaving those abusive men free from harm attempting to reverse the narrative to make them the victims," she says. Director Rod Singh emphasizes this point, saying the police and society as a whole can never accept the fact that trans women are the victims in situations like these.
Netizens also highlight how the incident further proves the double standard the justice system has in favor of cisgender-heterosexual men. "Pinalaki nyo kami sa bugbog tapos ngayong natuto kaming manuntok, kami ang masama?" Sassa Gurl frustratedly asks.
Overall, many express how Awra's arrest only proves just how much work needs to be done before the LGBTQIA+ community is genuinely accepted in the country. "The moment queer people take a stand against the manifestation of systemic homophobia and misogyny, they are then made to pay the supposed consequences for it?" one Twitter user claims.
Sources say that Awra is set to undergo unquest proceedings before the city prosecutor, and is allowed to post bail for the incident. As of the time of writing, #JusticeForAwra remains to be one of the top trending hashtags on Philippine Twitter.
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