US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton. (File photo)
MANILA – A retired bishop on Tuesday expressed hope that US Marine Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton will use the absolute pardon granted to him by President Rodrigo Duterte as a chance to do good.
“It may be a good decision, giving the marine another chance in life. I hope he makes good use of this opportunity,” Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani said in a statement.
Bacani is also hoping that the President would extend kindness to all Filipinos, including his critics.
“But I hope the President will be as kind to us Filipinos, especially to the erring ones like drug addicts (and) his critics,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fr. Silvino Borres of the Coalition Against Death Penalty said the kindness extended by Duterte to Pemberton should also be given to deserving inmates.
“We are hoping he would extend the same benevolence to thousand other inmates who are deserving than Pemberton,” he added.
The President may grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons under Article VII, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution.
The Department of Justice said Duterte's grant of absolute pardon renders all pending court proceedings against the US serviceman as moot.
In a public address on Monday night, Duterte said he granted Pemberton absolute pardon because he believed that he was not treated “fairly” while detained because his good conduct time allowance (GCTA) credits were not recorded by Philippine authorities.
Duterte said the government did not know what “factors” would contribute to deciding on whether or not Pemberton's GCTA credits should be computed from the time he was detained facing trial, or if it should start after his sentencing for homicide.
In 2015, Pemberton was convicted of homicide for the killing of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude in Olongapo City in October 2014. (PNA)
