Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday expressed her disappointment over the early release of US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton from jail whom she said never apologized to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQI+) community.

Hontiveros said Pemberton’s release is “a loss in the LGBTQI+ community’s fight for equality and justice.”

The senator pointed out Pemberton was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the killing of Jennifer Laude in October 2014, but his “hate crime,” which he committed in “self defense,” has so far resulted in less than six years of punishment.

“Many LGBTQI+ groups believe that six years is not enough, especially considering the gruesome killing he committed against Jennifer,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

She also noted that Pemberton’s team seemingly saw the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to plan his release, as they filed a Motion for Computation in June under the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law, then filed a Motion for Release in August.

“The swiftness by which our institutions have acted on a white, male American’s case is a privilege that is never accorded to many Filipinos,” she pointed out.

“What message does this send to our citizens who have routinely suffered from our own justice system?” she lamented.
To rub salt into the wound, since Laude’s death in 2014, she said Pemberton “has never apologized for the immeasurable pain he caused the LGBTQI+ community, the country, nor the Laude family, even when they and their lawyer asked for it.”

“Those years of deafening silence, and now an early release — this is not what Jennifer deserves. Pemberton paid the Laude family over P4.6-million in civil damages, but no amount can ever bring back the life and dignity of Jennifer,” she reiterated.

“I hope the court will give due course to the motion for reconsideration of Jennifer’s camp,” the lawmaker said.