Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said he harbors no hard feelings over President Duterte’s grant of absolute pardon to US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton, saying the Chief Executive may have a reason for doing it.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said he was not surprised that Duterte pardoned Pemberton, who killed Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude in 2014, because they may have been a better reason for it.
"Hindi na po (ako) ang nasurpresa. Kasi alam ko po na merong mas mataas o mas importanteng national interest na kinakailangan pangalagaan ng Presidente (I was not surprised because I knew that there is a more important national interest that the President has to protect)," he said.
Roque guessed that Duterte pardoned Pemberton so the country can get COVID-19 vaccines from the United States.
"Tingin ko naman, itong desisyon ng Presidente... Ang pagbibigay ng pardon kay Pemberton ay kabahagi ng pagnanais ng Presidente na kapag meron nang vaccine na ma-develop kung sa America man, ay makikinabang din ang Pilipinas (I think the President granting pardon to Pemberton is part of his desire for the Philippines to get a vaccine from America in case they develop one)," he said.
"I’m not surprised dahil panahon ng pandemic at alam ko na ang emphasis ng Presidente ay makakuha ng vaccine para sa mga Pilipino (because at this time of the pandemic, I know that the President puts emphasis on getting vaccines for Filipinos)," he added.
Roque said he was willing to accept the possibility that Pemberton was pardoned for COVID-19 vaccines even though he stood as the Laude family's lawyer in Jennifer's case.
"Kung ibig sabihin naman 'yan lahat ng Pilipino ay magkakaroon ng vaccine kung Amerikano ang maka-develop, wala po akong problema dyan (If it means that every Filipino will get a vaccine from the Americans, then I have no problem with that)," he said.
"'Yan po ang (Granting pardons is the most) presidential of all presidential functions so wala pong kahit sino ang pwedeng mag-question diyan (no one can question that)," he added.
Foreign policy
According to Roque, pardoning Pemberton may have been one of the topics the President discussed in his phone conversations with either US President Donald Trump or outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim.
"Posible po. Kung hindi yung (It's possible that it was discussed with the phone call with Ambassador Kim if not during the) telephone conversation with President Trump," he said.
"Let us trust the wisdom of the President," he added.
Roque, however, did not clarify if he was referring to Duterte's phone call with Trump in April this year or a more recent one. President Duterte had a phone conversation with Kim on Monday, hours before the announcement of Pemberton's pardon.
Roque affirmed that he shares the President’s adherence to an independent foreign policy that maintains friendship with all countries, while regarding no country as an enemy.
"Kaya nagkakaisa po kami ng Presidente sa desisyon na i-terminate ang Visiting Forces Agreement (That's why I agree with the President's decision to terminate the VFA)," Roque said.
"Panandalian lang po na-suspend yung termination pero hindi pa po nagbabago yung desisyon ni Presidente (The abrogation was temporarily suspended but the President's decision is yet to change)," he added.
He likewise reiterated that Laude's murder is the "symbolic death" of the country's sovereignty.