Geraldine Roman admits feeling hurt over absolute pardon for Pemberton

Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman on Tuesday admitted feeling hurt about the granting of absolute pardon to US Marines Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton who was convicted over the killing of transwoman Jennifer Laude.

"As a human being with a trans experience, hindi ko maiwasang masaktan sa mga nagaganap sa kaso ng aking trans sister na si Jennifer Laude laban kay Joseph Scott Pemberton," Roman, the first transwoman legislator in the country, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

"Mariin kong ipinapahayag ang hindi ko pagsang-ayon sa pagpapalaya kay Joseph Scott Pemberton na may pananagutan sa pagpatay kay Jennifer Laude noong 2014," she added.

President Rodrigo Duterte has granted absolute pardon to Pemberton, saying he was treated unfairly after his behavior, while detained and in prison, was not duly monitored by Philippine authorities for good conduct time credits.

The Regional Trial Court in Olongapo City last week ordered Pemberton's early release. He was sentenced to a six- to 10-year imprisonment for killing Laude.

Pemberton, who has served five years of the sentence, had supposedly earned good conduct time allowances (GCTA), according to Judge Roline Ginez-Abalde.

But Roman questioned the supposed "special treatment" being given to Pemberton, a foreigner.

"Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nagkasala sa batas ngunit hindi naman nabigyan ng parehong pagkakataon. Hindi dapat ganito, do we deserve less?" she said.

"Bilang bahagi ng pamahalaan at bilang isang politiko, nauunawaan ko na mayroong mga ganitong negosasyon sa pagitan ng mga bansa ngunit naniniwala ako na dapat panagutan ni Joseph Scott Pemberton ang kanyang krimen sa buong lawak ng batas ng Pilipinas," she added.

Laude's family earlier protested the Olongapo court's order for Pemberton's early release, saying he was not eligible for early release via GCTA.

The Bureau of Corrections later suspended Pemberton's release, pending resolution of the Laude family's appeal that the serviceman complete his service of sentence.

The Department of Justice had also planned to file its own motion asking the Olongapo court to reconsider its order.—AOL, GMA News