Pemberton’s release another case of ‘abuse’ of GCTA law, De Lima says

FILE – In this Tuesday Dec. 1, 2015 file photo, U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, center, is escorted as he arrives at court before his conviction of homicide for killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude in Olongapo city, Zambales province, northwest of Manila, Philippines. A Philippine court has on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020 ordered the early release for good conduct of Pemberton convicted in the 2014 killing of a transgender Filipino which sparked anger in the former American colony. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, file)

MANILA, Philippines — The ordered release of former US Marine Joseph Pemberton could be another case of abuse of the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law, which became controversial during a Senate hearing last year, detained Senator Leila de Lima said on Saturday.

“We’re probably looking at another case here of misapplication or abuse of the GCTA Law which is unfortunate as it undermines the very wisdom and salutary philosophy behind said law, a tool for restorative justice and intended only for deserving PDLs,” De Lima said in a statement, reacting on the early release of Pemberton who killed transgender Jennifer Laude.

The Olongapo court has ruled that Laude’s killer, who was sentenced for 10 years in prison, may be released due to the computation of his good conduct credits. But the Department of Justice halted Pemberton’s release for now to allow courts to look into Laude family’s motion for reconsideration.

De Lima further slammed the order to release Pemberton, saying it “replaced justice with injustice and reopened wounds that started healing when Laude’s murderer was convicted and imprisoned.”

The senator also questioned how the convicted murderer was given a “free pass” by the court.

“After much ruckus over the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) controversy, former US marine Scott Pemberton, who was convicted for the murder of transgender Jennifer Laude, has been allowed by Olongapo City RTC, Branch 74 a free pass. Sa kabila ng bigat ng krimen na ginawa niya, parang napakadali para sa korte na palayain siya nang maaga,” she said.

(Despite the gravity of his crime, it seems so easy for the court to release him early.)

Pemberton’s release also led senators to mull the reopening of hearings on GCTA law.

In 2019, Senate committees led by Senator Richard Gordon launched an investigation into the anomalies on the early freedom of those convicted for heinous crimes through the GCTA law.

The Senate probe also came after the possible early release of convicted rapist and murderer former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez hogged the headlines. Sanchez was convicted for the rape-slay of University of the Philippines student Eileen Sarmenta in 1993.