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Fury in the Philippines: Duterte Hanan American soldier who murdered a transgender woman
Joseph Scott Pemberton was jailed in 2015 after murdering Jennifer Lod near a former U.S. Navy base.
The president claimed he had been treated "unfairly", but his critics said he had surrendered to American interests even though he was claiming an independent foreign policy.
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The Philippines
Rodrigo Duterte
Reuters
Tuesday, 08 September 2020, 12:41
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Photo: Reuters, Editing: Nir Chen
The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, yesterday (Monday) pardoned a former American soldier who was convicted of transgender murder in the country almost six years ago.
Human rights activists condemned him and described the decision as "a mockery of justice".
Joseph Scott Pemberton was jailed in 2015 after murdering Jennifer Lod near a former U.S. Navy base.
A court signed his early release last week due to good behavior, but the release was blocked following an appeal by the lawyers of the Lod family.
One of her lawyers voiced dissatisfaction with the pardon and questioned Duterte's commitment to independent foreign policy as he claims, rather than one dictated by the interests of the United States.
"We see the well-being of our countrymen being pushed aside," said attorney Rommel Bagars.
Christina Flavay, a human rights activist, said Duterte's independent foreign policy had "gone bankrupt".
"We see this not only as a mockery of justice but also as a blatant display of bondage to the American interest," she told Reuters.
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Pemberton taken to court, December 2015 (Photo: Reuters)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roca said Duterte had agreed to "erase the sentence," but the conviction stands.
"He's still a killer," he said.
A stampede was sued in the case and last week he criticized his early release, comparing Lod's murder to "the death of Filipino sovereignty".
The president of the Philippines is known for his attacks and threats on the United States, but he has not yet lowered diplomatic relations between the two countries and in June decided not to cancel a military agreement between the two countries that allows American forces to be present in the country.
Duterte said Pemberton was treated unfairly.
"That's how I see it," he said in a televised speech.
"So release him. Pardon. There's a time when you need to be fair."
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