MANILA, Philippines - The lawyers for the family of the slain transgender Jennifer Laude on Friday scored the city prosecutor for preventing them from presenting evidence against Lance Corporal John Scott Pemberton.
The lawyers were surprised as Angeles City chief prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos blocked their efforts to introduce evidence in open court during the continuation of the pre-trial of the murder case.
Private prosecutor Romel Bagares, along with co-counsels Virgie Suarez and Charlaine Latorre, asked the Olongapo City court to include the list of prosecution witnesses the commander officer of Pemberton at the time of the killing on Oct. 11, 2014.
He also wanted to include to prosecution witnesses the American officer who has custody of Pemberton's service records and the officer in charge of the training at the Marine boot camp that the US soldier attended.
Delos Santos, however, opposed the pleadings of the private prosecutor.
"We did not expect that to come from her since we are supposed to be on the same side," Suarez said.
Delos Santos earlier said that she will not allow private prosecutors any leeway in the presentation of the evidence for the criminal aspect of the case.
Lawyer Harry Roque, the lead counsel for the Laude family, said the private prosecutors have tried several times to reach an agreement with them on how they can work together on the case.
"She has refused to talk to us in the most unprofessional way imaginable. She is making it easier for the defense by doing the latter's work," Roque said.