Pemberton’s release imminent? Court asks BuCor to count US Marine’s service of sentence

MANILA, Philippines — Is US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton who was convicted for the death of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude qualified to be released soon?

Pemberton, through his counsel, has filed a motion before the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 indicating his intention of availing of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA).

With the motion, Justice Undersecretary and Department of Justice Spokesperson Markk Perete said: “The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has been asked by the court in [Olongapo] to submit a computation of his service of sentence.  It will be the court that will determine if he is entitled to release.”

Pemberton was convicted of homicide on Dec. 1, 2015 for killing transgender Jennifer Laude in 2014. He was sentenced to suffer a 6-10 years imprisonment.

“The start of Pemberton’s detention for the purpose of determining his service of [the] sentence is among the issues that will have to be resolved by the court,” Perete said adding that the court has started hearing the motion filed by Pemberton’s counsel.

Pemberton is currently detained at a restricted facility in Camp Aguinaldo, pursuant to the Visiting Forces Agreement. The Court of Appeals then affirmed the lower court’s ruling prompting. Pemberton to take the case to the Supreme Court in 2017. However, last June 2, he withdrew his appeal which was granted by the high court. [ac]

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