Duterte says Pemberton was ‘not treated fairly’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---Pr esi dent Rodrigo Duterte on Monday evening, September 7, 2020, said he pardoned American soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton because the latter was treated unfairly.

“In fairness, tapos na yung kwentada and he was recommended to be released. Eh di i-release mo. Kaya isip-isip ko, nakikinig nga ako sa.. yung newspaper pati sa radyo. Sabi ko, it is not fair. Hindi makatarungan,” Duterte said during a meeting with some Cabinet members Monday evening.

The President said he told Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea that he has decided to pardon Pem b er t o n .

“Corr ect me i f I’m wrong, but ito ang tingin ko: You have not treated Pemberton fairly,” Duterte recalled himself telling Guevarra and M edi al dea.

The presidential pardon was granted five days after the Olongapo Regional Trial Court ordered Pemberton’s release, saying that with his good conduct time allowance (GCTA), the

American soldier has served more than 10 years in prison already.

Pemberton was convicted in December 2015 of homicide for killing transgender Jennifer Laude in October 2014. He was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Duterte said computation of the GCTA should include the time that Pemberton spent in detention while he was still on trial.

However, no record of Pemberton’s behavior could be found since he was held in Camp Agui nal do.

“Ang pagkwenta hindi alam nila kung kasali ba o hindi at may record. Eh walang record kasi yung lugar alin duon na detenado si Pemberton sa Marines, sa garrison. Ang Marines never kept a record...hindi trabaho ng Marines ‘yan kasi hindi sila BJMP o taga Muntinlupa,”

BJMP refers to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) which supervises the jails where individuals accused before a court and awaiting or undergoing trial are temporarily held.