Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Carlos Zarate says he will call for a House inquiry on the circumstances leading to the issuance of a release order for convicted killer, United States (US) Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.

"Dapat magkaroon ng malalim na pagtingin dito at pagbusisi. In fact nananawagan na tayo ma-imbestigahan ito. Maghahain din tayo ng panukalang resolusyon para imbestigahan itong nangyaring pagpapakawala kay Pemberton (This must be looked into and studied. In fact we are calling for an investigation. We will file a resolution to investigate Pemberton's release order)," Zarate said during the Makabayan Bloc's weekly press conference Thursday.

At the tail end of the virtual presser, Zarate learned of the Bureau of Correction's (BuCor) move to put Pemberton's release on hold pending the resolution of an appeal filed by the family of victim, transwoman Jennifer Laude.

"We welcome this decision," said the Deputy Minority Leader. "Dapat lang dahil malaki ang magiging papel ng BuCor dito (It's only right because BuCor plays a big role here)."

An Olongapo City court ordered Pemberton's release Tuesday after finding out that he has served beyond his 10-year prison sentence under the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) rule. He had been sentenced to six to 10 years in prison after killing Laude at an Olongapo City motel on October 11, 2014.

Zarate, a lawyer, says the big question is whether or not BuCor gave recommendation to the court to release the US serviceman after applying the GCTA process.

GCTAs are basically good conduct credits that inmates use to shorten their prison terms.

"In the spirit of accountability and transparency, isiwalat nila sa publiko kung ano ang naging batayan nila bakit napakabilis nilang nirekomenda na qualified si Pemberton sa GCTA samantalang napakarami nating kababayang Pilipino na hanggang ngayon ay nabubulok na sa kulungan dahil sa maraming kadahilanang hindi raw sila qualified to avail of the GCTA (They should reveal to the public the basis for this swift recommendation that Pemberton is qualified for GCTA even as many of our fellow Filipinos continue to languish on jail because they are supposedly not qualified for GCTA)," he said.

Zarate also wondered how Pemberton could manifest "good behavior" when he is all by his lonesome inside his cell.

"Paano kaya na-consider nila na nagkaroon ng good conduct ito na technically and theoretically, siya lang mag-isa sa kanyang kulungan, espesyal na kulungan? Para siyang unggoy doon na ine-experimentuhan, pinapakain, binabantayan. Tapos nagpapakita ng magagandang gawi. Iyon ba yung pagkonsidera ng korte? (How was the presence of good conduct determined if technically and theoretically, he was alone inside his special jail? He's akin to a monkey being experimented on, fed, and monitored. Then he shows good behavior. Was that the basis of the court?)" he asked.

Zarate futher said that Pemberton's early release from jail would be a "face slap" to the Philippines.

For Gabriela Party-List Rep. Arlene Brosas, seeing Pemberton walk free would constitute a mockery of the country's laws.

"It cannot be denied that this injustice is just another picture of the people’s vulnerability, especially of women, who became victims of different forms of violence in the hands of foreign troops," she said during the same presser.