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Bayan: Send Pemberton to Bilibid

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Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other patriotic organisations held a protest rally in front of Camp Aguinaldo last December 4 to condemn what they believe is preferential treatment to convicted killer US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton.

According to Aaron Bonette, chairperson of the LGBTQ organisation Bahaghari, Philippine President Benigno Aquino killed Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude for agreeing to a special facility for the US soldier instead of a national Filipino prison as originally ordered by the trial court that convicted him.

The US refused to turn over to Philippine authorities after his conviction last December 1 and instead insisted that Pemberton be brought back to the military camp where it has its own facilities.

Both Philippine and US governments are reported to be jointly building a new jail for Pemberton in accordance with Visiting Forces Agreement provisions.

Patriotic organisations however say that the move is not only unjust to the victim but is in fact another violation of Philippine sovereignty by the US government.

The protest rally also called on the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreementbetween the US and Philippine governments. #

Pemberton should be committed to a Philippine jail, militants insist

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Militant organizations held a protest rally while the promulgation of the judgement on US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton was being read at the Olongapo Regional Trial Court last December 1.

Pemberton was found guilty of committing homicide in connection with the death of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude last year.

He was sentenced to a minimum of six year and a maximum of 12 years for the crime.

While declaring partial victory over the conviction of the US soldier, the militants said that he should be jailed in a Philippine correctional facility.

They warned that the US government may initiate moves to take custody of the convict and that the Philippine government may agree to such machinations.

They were proven correct when the US and Philippine government immediately agreed to transport Pemberton to a US facility inside Camp Aquinaldo last night.

The move is contrary to the explicit instructions of the court to bring Pemberton to a national jail such as the National Bilibid Prisons.