Farmers Plaza issues apology to trans woman Gretchen Diez

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Following the incident that drew condemnation from the public especially from members of the LGBT community, the mall in Cubao, Quezon City where transgender woman Gretchen Custodio Diez was disallowed from using the women’s restroom issued a public apology on Wednesday, August 14.

In a statement, Farmers Plaza Property General Manager Morriel Abogado said they would like to apologize to Diez for the “treatment she has received from a member of the cleaning crew.”

“We also would like to extend the apology not just to the LGBT community but to the public in general for the actions of said crew member,” Abogado added.

On Tuesday, Diez was blocked by a janitress, identified as Chayra Ganal, from entering the women’s comfort room inside the mall and was told to use the men’s comfort room instead. The  28-year-old transgender woman took a video of her encounter with Ganal, which enraged the latter. Diez was later handcuffed and brought to the Quezon City Police District Station 7 for an unjust vexation complaint filed against her, which was then dropped.

Abogado also denied reports that Diez was handcuffed within the mall’s premises, saying it was “not the idea” of the Farmers Plaza management. Abogado also clarified that the unjust vexation case against the transgender woman was not filed by the management but it was the janitress’s “personal decision.”

“None of these actions had been relayed beforehand to the management, nor did we have knowledge of the same as it was happening, for us to do something about the matter,” Abogado said.

The property general manager said they are looking into the incident after reviewing the reports and the video that Diez uploaded on Facebook, and “will take appropriate action.”

“We have also since contacted the agency that employs Ms. Ganal to demand that they take action as well,” Abogado added.

The Makabayan bloc along with Bataan First District Representative Geraldine Roman, the country’s first transgender politician, filed a resolution on Wednesday, directing the Committee on Women and Gender Equality to conduct an investigation into the “discrimination and harassment” against Diez.

The lawmakers said what Diez has experienced was a “clear violation of the Philippine Constitution, the Quezon City ordinance, and other existing laws.”

They cited Article 2, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution, Section 3 of Republic Act (RA) No. 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, RA No. 11313 or Safe Spaces Law, and the 2014 ordinance of Quezon City that penalizes discrimination against the LGBT community.

“This incident is a clear manifestation of the current situation of the LGBTQ community in the Philippines. It illustrates the urgency of enforcing policies that would protect LGBTQ rights,” the resolution read.