MANILA, Philippines — Progressive groups on Thursday voiced strong criticism for an Olongapo court’s order for the early release of US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, who killed transgender woman Jennifer Laude in 2014, saying the decision is unfair to poor Filipino convicts deprived of the same privilege. Members of LGBT organization BAHAGHARI and other youth groups trooped to the Department of Justice on Thursday morning to denounce the order to release Pemberton six years from his conviction. Taken together with his 2,142 days in prison, he would have served 10 years, one month and one day—or more than his 10-year sentence. The Philippines' decision in February to scrap the VFA was put on hold for six months from June "upon the president’s instruction." Meanwhile, the group said, political prisoners are still waiting for the resolution of their petition seeking release citing the COVID-19 pandemic and cramped jail spaces in the country.

Source: Philippine Star September 03, 2020 05:37 UTC