MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has granted an “absolute pardon” to American Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was detained for killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.
The country’s chief executive granted the pardon during a meeting in Malacañang yesterday afternoon, Foreign Affairs secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in a Twitter post.
“Cutting matters short over what constitutes time served, and since where he was detained was not in the prisoner’s control – and to do justice – the President has granted an absolute pardon to Pemberton. Here at the Palace,” Locsin said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who earlier described the ruling to release Pemberton from detention as “a judicial overreach,” confirmed Duterte’s move in a statement last night.
“What do you mean by ‘absolute pardon’? Ibig sabihin makalalaya na si Pemberton. Wala na pong issue kung siya ba ay entitled sa GCTA,” Roque said. “Binura na po ng Presidente ang kung ano mang parusa na dapat ipapataw kay Pemberton.”
“Hindi na po kinakailangan bigyan ng dahilan ng President iyan, dahil ang pag-grant ng pardon at parole, hindi po iyan katungkulan ng hudikatura, kundi katungkulan ng ehekutibo, iyan po ay one of the most presidential of all presidential powers,” he stressed.
Pemberton was implicated in the killing of Laude on Oct. 11, 2014. A Philippine National Police medico-legal report noted that Laude died due to strangulation and asphyxia by drowning.
The American soldier had admitted that he choked the 26-year-old Laude inside a lodge in Olongapo City after he found out that he was a transgender.
In December 2015, an Olongapo local court convicted Pemberton for six to 12 years over the death of Laude. He was also asked to pay the victim’s family at least P4.5 million for damages.
The same court, however, on Sept. 1 ruled Pemberton should be released for his good behavior. He had served over five years and eight months of his 10-year maximum jail sentence.
Pemberton was one of the US soldiers conducting a joint drill with Filipino forces under the Visiting Forces Agreement. He is currently detained at a facility in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City./PN
