MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has granted “absolute pardon” to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was convicted of killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday.
“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 wrote on his Twitter account.
Malacañang also confirmed the news but did not give any other details on the president’s move.
Pemberton was sentenced six to 10 years in prison for homicide over the slay of Laude at a motel in Olongapo City in 2014. He has been held at a facility in Camp Aguinaldo under the provisions of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the United States and the Philippines.
The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 in an order dated September 1 said Pemberton should be released over good behavior.
The court credited to him a good conduct time allowance (GCTA) of 1,548 days or more than 4 years plus a total of 2,142 days in detention which amounts to more than 10 years of the maximum penalty imposed on him.
The camp of Laude family earlier filed a motion for reconsideration, arguing that the GCTA rule is not applicable to the case of the American soldier.
The Department of Justice also said it has advised the Bureau of Corrections to put on hold Pemberton’s release pending the court’s resolution of the motion.
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