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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider 'Pemberton release reflects 'broken justice system' in PH' --- Karapatan

'Pemberton release reflects 'broken justice system' in PH' --- Karapatan

Published Sep 14, 2020 03:52 pm

The release of United States Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton on Sunday, Sept. 14, is a reminder that the justice system is the country is broken, said a human rights group on Monday, Sept. 14.

This handout photo taken and released by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration on September 13, 2020 shows US marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton (C), who was convicted of killing a transgender woman and recently pardoned by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, escorted by immigration officers as he rides a vehicle to the airport in Manila. (Photo by Handout / PHILIPPINE BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)

“As Pemberton flew back to the United States yesterday, his freedom is a reminder that justice is broken and impunity is alive in the country, especially under this fascist Duterte regime,” said Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay in a statement.

“Criminals and murderers get to walk away free, while activists and human rights defenders are being persecuted with false charges and imprisonment even in the middle of a pandemic,” she lamented.

Pemberton left aboard a military plane on Sunday, Sept. 13, after being granted pardon by President Duterte over his homicide conviction in the 2014 killing of transgender Jennifer Laude.

The group also hit the Supreme Court’s (SC) late action to the April 8 petition filed by 22 political prisoners who sought temporary release for being vulnerable to the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Last week, the SC announced that it has ordered the lower courts where the petitioners are facing charges to determine if they should be granted bail.

Karapatan lamented that “while criminals and murderers like Joseph Scott Pemberton are given the express lane to freedom by none other than the highest official of the country, our own courts continue to cruelly neglect the petition of elderly, sick, and pregnant political prisoners for humanitarian release.”

“This is simply atrocious! Imagine the agony of waiting for five long months as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage our congested and overcrowded jails — only to receive a decision that only means more torturous waiting. It clearly seems that our own government would rather let elderly and sick prisoners suffer arduous legal processes while it shamelessly and speedily grants absolute pardon and freedom to criminals who trample upon our rights and sovereignty,” said Palabay.

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