MANILA – The camp of slain Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude said they have lost their hope after President Rodrigo Duterte granted an absolute pardon to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton.
Atty. Virgie Suarez, legal counsel of Laude, said they could not pursue legal action to reverse the pardon since granting it was a “discretionary and inherent power” of President Duterte.
“Mahirap na, it’s dead end,” Suarez said in an interview with GMA 7’s Unang Balita on Tuesday. “Halos wala na dahil ito ay isang discretionary at inherent power ng Presidente. Kaya ang paggamit dito ay hindi dapat inaabuso ng President.”
“Kaya nga ang tindi ngayon ng outcry against this exercise ni President ng power. It is an exercise of an authoritarian mind. Gumagamit ka ng kapangyarihan hindi sa interes ng mamamayang Filipino pero para lang sa interes ng dayuhan,” she added.
Suarez also lambasted the country’s chief executive after he said that Pemberton was “unfairly treated,” stressing it was Laude and her family who received unfair treatment.
“Para sabihin niya na si Pemberton ay unfairly treated, walang basehan. If there’s anyone who is unfairly treated dito ay si Jennifer Laude, ang pamilya ni Laude, at buong mamamayang Pilipino,” Suarez said.
“Sa buong trial na ito ang kasama lang ng Laude [family] ako, samantalang umabot sa 16 na sundalong Amerikano ang nasa loob ng korte,” she added. “Sa simula’t simula pa lang, hindi na nakuha ng bansang Pilipinas ang custody.”
Suarez furthered that the September 1 order from an Olongapo City court to release Pemberton on the ground of good conduct time allowance was also an unfair treatment to Laude.
“Bigla na lang may order of release dahil sa good conduct. Ni walang notice sa pamilya, ni walang notice sa akin, ni walang basehan,” Suarez said. “Ang lahat ng ito nakasalang, pinag-uusapan, bigla siyang magbibigay ng pardon. Malinaw kung sino ang unfairly treated.”
SURPRISING
Atty. Rowena Garcia-Flores, the legal counsel of Pemberton, said Duterte’s decision to grant pardon on Pemberton came as a surprise as they did not ask for one but was also a welcome development.
“I was surprised. I didn’t even apply for any pardon for Pemberton,” Flores said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel. “I am very happy with the development. He is entitled for release.”
“Basically, I told him about the new development. I told him, ‘Have you heard the news?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I heard the news.’ So I asked him, ‘How do you feel about it?’ He said he is very happy,” she added.
“He’s like a sort of teenager when he comes to talking and he wouldn’t really tell you long sentences and he wouldn’t discuss in detail his emotions, but I could hear that he is very happy from his voice,” the lawyer further said.
Flores said she is hoping that Pemberton would be released by Friday from the restricted facility at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. They are currently in the process of completing the necessary documents.
The absolute pardon granted to Pemberton came despite Duterte shifting away from the US to seek closer relations with China since assuming power in 2016./PN
