Laude kin join calls to end military exercises with U.S.

Gabriela members stage a picket in Camp Aguinaldo, calling on the government to transfer jailed American soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton to New Bilibid Prison. —EDWIN BACASMAS

OLONGAPO CITY—The family of slain transgender woman Jennifer “Jeffrey” Laude sought an end to joint military exercises between the Philippines and the United States, as it marked Laude’s second death anniversary on Tuesday.

“Jennifer was a victim of a US Marine who was part of a military exercise. We’re praying that no more Filipinos will fall victims to crimes committed by US servicemen,” Laude’s sister, Marilou, said after a memorial mass at Olongapo Heritage Garden here.

US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, who was part of the military exercise two years ago, was convicted last year for killing Laude inside an Olongapo motel in October 2014.

On Oct. 7, about 300 Filipino and American Marines carried out a mock assault as part of the Philippines Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex 33) inside the Naval Education and Training Command in San Antonio town in Zambales province. Phiblex 33 was terminated on Tuesday, a day before the scheduled end.

“Let Jennifer be the last case under the Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises,” said Virgie Suarez, lawyer of the Laude family.

Calls from various cause-oriented groups to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) highlighted the candlelight vigils here and in Metro Manila on Monday night.

Executive agreements

Suarez said Edca and VFA are executive agreements which President Duterte can terminate anytime.

The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1999 VFA have allowed US troops to participate in military exercises in various sites in the country.

“Edca was declared constitutional. But it doesn’t mean that it cannot be reviewed, amended or even terminated, especially if it doesn’t serve the Philippines’ interest,” Suarez said.

Pemberton was among the 3,500 US soldiers who participated in the annual joint military training with Filipino counterparts in 2014.

He and Laude met in a bar here while the American soldier was on “liberty” with other US Marines.

Laude was found dead in the bathroom of a motel room minutes after she and Pemberton checked in.

On Dec. 1, 2014, an Olongapo City Regional Trial Court found Pemberton guilty of homicide for killing Laude and he was sentenced to minimum of six years to maximum of 12 years imprisonment.

Laude’s relatives said they also wanted the government to end what they described as special treatment of Pemberton.

“We are asking President Duterte to finally transfer Pemberton to New Bilibid Prison (NBP) … To give justice to Laude and to our judicial system, convicted Pemberton should now be detained without special privileges and treatment at NBP,” Suarez said.

Pemberton is being held in a special military facility in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.