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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DOJ to block Pemberton's release -- Guevarra

DOJ to block Pemberton's release -- Guevarra

Published Sep 6, 2020 06:12 pm

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Sunday, September 6, said the Department of Justice (DOJ) will block the release of United States Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton who was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in jail in 2015 for the killing of Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude on Oct. 11, 2014 in Olongapo City.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
(TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)

If the trial court, which ordered Pemberton’s release from detention, would deny the DOJ’s motion for reconsideration, it is expected that the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) would take up the next legal steps to prevent the release, Guevarra said.

“Our trial prosecutors are still drafting their motion for reconsideration, but I expect that jurisdictional issues, apart from the divergence in Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) computation, will be included in the motion for reconsideration,” he said.

The motion will be filed before the sala of Olongapo City regional trial court (RTC) Judge Roline Ginez Jabalde who ordered Pemberton’s release last week.

Pemberton has been detained at the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) facility in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Based on Judge Jabalde’s computation, Pemberton had served a total of 405 days during his preventive imprisonment and 1,737 days during service of his 10-year prison term.

The judge also said that Pemberton was entitled to a 260 days GCTA during preventive imprisonment and 1,288 GCTA during service of his sentence.

Thus, the judge ruled that Pemberton’s actual time served in jail was 2,142 days and 1,548 days for GCTA.

The judge ruled that Pemberton’s total accumulated time served in prison with entitlement of GCTA was 10 years, one month and 10 days which is already beyond his 10-year maximum sentence.

At the same time, the judge noted that Pemberton had already paid the entire amount awarded by the court in its decision as modified by the Court of Appeals in its April 3, 2017 decision.

The trial court had ordered Pemberton to pay P4.32 million for loss earning capacity; P155,250 for actual damages, P75,000 for civil indemnity; P75,000 for moral damages and P35,000 for exemplary damages.

Laude’s family had filed a motion to reconsider the trial court’s ruling on Pemberton’s release. Reports stated that the motion will be heard on Monday, September 7.

The family also asked the trial court to order Pemberton’s transfer to the National Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.

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