President Benigno Aquino III insisted there was no special treatment given to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton in placing him in a detention facility inside Camp Aguinaldo.
Speaking to reporters, Aquino said the detention facility was agreed upon by both parties in accordance with the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
He added that the facility is also under the control of the Philippine government.
“He is actually in a facility controlled by the Philippines already…has been, ‘di ba, pati nung point of detention. The facility in the AFP, sa ISAFP (Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) yata, is going to be manned by Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) personnel or is already being manned by Bureau of Corrections personnel. In effect, this is an extension of the Bilibid and consistent with the agreements under the VFA,” Aquino said.
“By the very nature doon sa agreement na mayroong ‘agreed upon detention facility,’ sasabihin nila ‘o iba na ‘yung detention facility, special na.’ ‘Yung mga ganoong klaseng tanong wala namang kasagutang maayos eh.
“Bottom line, bilang sovereign state, may agreement tayo with another sovereign state. Nandiyan na ‘yan, nag-rule ‘yung ating mga korte; una muna, iniharap si Pemberton sa korte, nasentensyahan ng ating korte at babantayan ng ating mga personnel para i-serve ‘yung kanyang sentence… Babantayan ng personnel natin sa facility natin na nasa Pilipinas,” he added.
The President believes that the ruling would not have a negative effect on Philippine-US relations, saying that the case showed the equality of both parties when the rule of law was applied.
“Well, mayroon pa naman siyang karapatan mag-apela. Ipinakita natin na mayroon tayong korte na kayang humusga nang maayos. The rule of law happens in our country. It is respected by the other state. Therefore, it redounds to both parties’ benefits na hindi unequal. Mayroon tayong equality among two equally sovereign states na ‘pag may ginawa kang kasalanan, mayroon kang pananagutan na dapat mong pagbayaran,” Aquino said.
Pemberton was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of homicide for the killing of transgender woman Jennifer Laude, whose body was discovered inside the bathroom of Celzone Hotel in Barangay West Tapinac, Olongapo City in October last year.
Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court’s Branch 74 sentenced Pemberton to 6 years as minimum to 12 years as maximum imprisonment.
The court also ordered Pemberton to pay Laude’s heirs PHP4.32 million for loss of earning capacity, PHP155,250 as reimbursement for wake and burial expenses, PHP50,000 for moral damages, PHP50,000 as civil indemnity, and PHP30,000 for exemplary damages.
Pemberton had earlier admitted in court to choking, but not killing, Laude. He said he had acted in self-defense after he discovered that a man was giving him oral sex, not a woman.
Atty. Harry Roque, legal counsel for the Laude family, has questioned Pemberton’s detention at Camp Aguinaldo, stressing that there were clear orders from the court that until a clarification is made as to where exactly he will be detained, the US Marine will be temporarily held at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
This changed, however, after the judge allowed the filing of a motion for clarification by the VFA Commission. Under the agreement, Pemberton must be detained in a facility mutually-agreed upon by the US and the Philippines.
Text: Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
