MANILA, Philippines — US Marine L/Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, convicted killer of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, will face the court martial upon his arrival in his home country, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.
In a briefing on Monday, Roque, who was among the Laude family’s trial lawyers, said that US authorities and representatives of the American Marine Corps said Pemberton will face court martial.
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“The process will only be finished in the Philippines, but the court martial proceedings will continue,” he said in Filipino. He added that this was the promise made by American officers during the pre-trial stage of the case against Pemberton.
Roque said the court martial will determine additional punishment for Pemberton and whether he is qualified to remain in service.
Pemberton was deported to the US on Sunday morning, a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte, in a surprise move, granted him pardon for killing Laude in a motel in Olongapo in 2014.
Duterte’s grant of pardon effectively rendered as moot proceedings at the Olongapo court on the Laude family and government lawyer’s appeal on an earlier release order, under the Good Conduct and Time Allowance law.
Roque, in the same briefing, said to his knowledge, Duterte did not give a promise to the Laude family that Pemberton will not walk free during his presidency. He confirmed that Duterte gave financial assistance to the Laude family three times, but the chief executive never met the family.
Jennifer’s mother, Julita, shared she bears ill feelings towards Duterte over his grant of pardon to her child’s killer. She also recounted that Duterte was happy because their family fought for their case. “Dahil sabi niya na hangga't siya raw ang nakaupo, hinding hindi niya papayagan na makalaya si Pemberton (Because he said that as long as he was in office, he would never allow Pemberton to be released),” she added.
But Roque said that what Duterte promised was justice will be given to the killing of Jennifer. “Nakulong naman po si Pemberton nang halos anim na taon (Pemberton was imprisoned for almost six years),” he also said, adding that Pemberton left the country as an “undesirable alien” and was placed under immigration blacklist.
The American convict flown out of the country nearly six years since he strangled and killed Laude. — Kristine Joy Patag