MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday said it will implement a deportation order against convicted US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, after President Rodrigo Duterte granted him absolute pardon.
In a statement, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said he already asked Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director-general Gerald Bantag to turn the US serviceman over to the BI the moment he is released from prison so his deportation could be implemented and his departure from the Philippines be arranged and facilitated.
The BI said its bureau of commissioners issued the order against Pemberton on Sept. 16, 2015 for being an undesirable alien.
Pemberton, who was convicted of homicide for killing transgender woman Jennifer Laude in 2014, was granted absolute pardon by Duterte on Monday.
Morente, meanwhile, said that the pardon granted to Pemberton means there is no more legal impediment or obstacle to Pemberton’s departure from the Philippines.
“At any rate, we are awaiting instructions from our Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra for guidance on how we will implement the deportation order in a manner that is within the prescribed laws of the country,” Morente said.
BI Legal Division Chief Arvin Santos explained that aliens up for deportation are required to submit clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation, as well as from the regional trial court as proof that they have no more pending criminal or civil cases.