MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to pardon United States (US) Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton might be a way for the Philippines to gain access to a coronavirus vaccine, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, who had helped prosecute the soldier.
Since the US is among the countries racing to develop a vaccine, the President has chosen national interest, Roque claimed.
“Alam ko po ang emphasis ng ating Presidente ay makakuha ng vaccine para sa mga Pilipino,” said Roque, who previously served as legal counsel of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.
“Bagama’t tayo po ang tumayong abogado ng pamilya Laude kung ang ibig sabihin naman niyan eh lahat ng Pilipino ay magkakaroon ng vaccine, kung ang mga Amerikano ang maka-develop, wala po akong problema diyan,” he added.
President Duterte granted Pemberton pardon just over five years into his imprisonment, extinguishing his criminal liability and rendering moot a legal debate on whether he was entitled an early release for good conduct.
Roque conceded that extending pardon to a person convicted of a crime is an exclusive prerogative of the President but he insisted that justice has been served to the Laude family since the pardon will not erase the fact that Pemberton is a murderer.
“Naparusahan naman po siya. Nagbayad naman po siya ng danyos mahigit P4 million at tingin ko po dahil sentensiyado siya na siya ay mamamatay tao pati ‘yung kanyang serbisyo sa Hukbong Sandatahan ng Amerika ay maaapektuhan ‘yan,” Roque said.
“Sa tingin ko po, nakamit na po natin ang katarungan at bagamat mas marami nagsasabi na dapat mas matagal ang kulong sa kanya, ang katotohanan naman po merong mas importanteng national interest na itinataguyod ang ating Presidente,” he added./PN
