Leave Pemberton’s fate to the courts, says Sotto

FILE – In this Dec. 1, 2015, file photo, convicted U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton is escorted to his detention cell upon arrival at Camp Aguinaldo at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. A Philippine court has ordered the early release for good conduct of Pemberton, a U.S. Marine convicted in the 2014 killing of a transgender Filipino which sparked anger in the former American colony. (Ted Aljibe/Pool Photo, File)

MANILA, Philippines — With the impending release of former US Marine Joseph Pemberton who killed transgender Jennifer Laude, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Pemberton’s freedom must be decided by the courts.

This as Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) ruled that Pemberton, who was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment for Laude’s murder, will be released after serving his sentence due to accomplishing 10 months of good conduct time allowance.

“Personal na opinion ko lang, si Pemberton ikinulong ‘yan based sa batas ng Pilipinas so kung siya ma-re-release dapat din under sa batas ng Pilipinas. Tayo naman ay gobyerno ng batas, hindi tayo gobyerno ng emotion,” Sotto said over DWIZ when sought for his comment on Pemberton’s release from detention.

(This is my personal opinion: Pemberton was jailed in accordance with the law in the Philippines so if he would be released it should also be under the law. We are the government of law, not the government of emotion.)

“Leave it to the courts, the courts will decide, dahil ikinulong ‘yan (Pemberton) based sa batas natin,” he added.

Laude’s family has filed a motion of reconsideration which led the Department of Justice to order the delay on the US Marine’s release to allow the court to review the said motion.