The government’s unfair treatment of US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton has prompted President Duterte to pardon him for the crime of killing transgender woman Jennifer Laude six years ago.In his televised address Monday night, the President said Pemberton was treated unfairly when authorities did not know how to compute his good conduct time allowance since they failed to monitor him during detention.
“It is not the fault of Pemberton na hindi na na-compute because we should allow him the good character presumption kasi wala namang nag-report na Marines na nagsabi nagwawala siya. The Marines could have reported if it were otherwise to the Secretary of Justice or to the police, to the PNP, na itong tao na ito magulo, parang lasing araw-araw, nagsisigaw ganun ,” Duterte said.
Duterte said no one can question the pardon he has given Pemberton. “It cannot be questioned anywhere,” he said. “Ang pardon walang maka-question niyan… it’s not because of that that I pardoned Pemberton. Kaligayahan ko na lang magpakulong ng mga buang, mga g***. But you know if there is a time where you are called upon to be fair, be fair, be fair,” he said.