Military has not received court order releasing US Marine

September 3, 2020

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have not yet received the copy of the court order for the release of the United States Marine who was convicted for killing a Filipino transgender woman in 2014.

"We learned about the release order for USMC Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton from media reports. But we have not received a copy of such release order yet", Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, said on Wednesday.

"Nonetheless, the compliance to that order of the court will have to be done by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), not the Armed Forces of the Philippines," he added.

Arevalo explained that "Pemberton is at the AFP Custodial Facility only by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement between the AFP and  BuCor."

"The MOA provides that the former will make available the detention facility while the latter retains the management and administration of the convicted detainees," he said.

"We will assist BuCor in facilitating the release of Pemberton by virtue of such court order," he added.

Pemberton was convicted in 2015 after killing Jennifer Laude in Olongapo City in 2014. Robina Asido/DMS