MANILA, Philippines — “May he find peace of mind.”
Such was the message of lawyer Virginia Suarez, the counsel of the family of Jennifer Laude, on the deportation of US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, who brutally killed Jennifer in 2014.
“Hoping he has learned from all these the value of life and dignity regardless of gender and nationality,” Suarez added in her message on Sunday.
“Jennifer’s case has ended. But not the poverty and struggle borne by the Administration’s incompetence to curb Covid and corruption that continue to plague our nation,” she further said.
Pemberton left the country on Sunday morning, carried by an American military aircraft which took off at 9:14 a.m., the Bureau of Immigration said.
President Rodrigo Duterte granted “absolute pardon” to Pemberton last Monday amid public fury over an Olongapo City court order for the American’s release before completing his prison term of six to 10 years for the killing of Laude.