Pemberton awaiting deportation

THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Friday, September 11, 2020, turned over custody of US marine Joseph Scott Pemberton to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

Pemberton, convicted killer of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude, will remain in detention at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City while awaiting deportation.

BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said the Bucor personnel providing security to Pemberton was recalled as BI took over at 11:50 a.m. Friday.

The BI will then complete the deportation process of Pemberton, who was already considered an undesirable alien based on an order issued by the agency in 2015.

The deportation process includes securing a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to ensure that he has no other pending cases in the country.

Pemberton's legal counsel, Rowena Flores, said the NBI was expected to take his fingerprints and photo for the clearance within Friday.

Pemberton will also undergo swab testing for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), as part of safety measures before he flies back to his country. The result is expected to be released by September 18.

"Sa pagkakaalam ko po ang RITM ang magti-test po, very busy po sila ngayon so three to seven days pa raw po (before they can release the result of the swab test),” she said.

Flores said Pemberton will stay in his detention cell until the day of his departure.

The BI will turn over Pemberton to the US embassy once he is cleared by the NBI and if the embassy has already submitted his flight details.

"At wala nang ibang hinihintay ang Bureau of Immigration bukod dito sa NBI clearance except 'yung travel documents ni Mr. Pemberton — that means 'yung kanyang passport at 'yung flight details na manggagaling naman sa US embassy," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said.

"Pag natanggap 'yan ng Bureau of Immigration, tapos na at ready na ipa-deport si Mr. Pemberton," he added.

Flores said a US military plane will take Pemberton either to Hawaii or Guam.

BI deputy spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said Pemberton will no longer be allowed to re-enter the country after his deportation.

Pemberton was convicted of homicide in December 2015 for killing Laude in October 2014. He was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment.

He was ordered released by the Olongapo City Regional Trial Court on September 1, 2020 after he was credited with 1,548 days of good conduct time allowance (GCTA).

The court said that with GCTA, Pemberton had served a total of 10 years, one month and 10 days in prison.

As various sectors questioned the granting of GCTA to Pemberton, President Rodrigo Duterte granted Pemberton an absolute pardon on September 7, 2020. (SunStar Philippines)

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