Pemberton paid damages to Laude family ordered in 2015 only this August —lawyer

US Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton paid civil damages to the family of slain transgender Filipino Jennifer Laude only on August 25 this year, more than four years after the court gave the order to do so, according to the family's lawyer.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita on Tuesday, Atty. Virgie Suarez said the order to pay for the civil damages was issued in December 2015. Pemberton, who was found guilty of homicide, was then ordered by the court to pay the Laude family at least P4.5 million for various damages.

"Pero nagbayad lang ng danyos noon lamang August 25. Nagmamadali pa sila na makapagbayad ng danyos. The family deserved that civil liability. Order 'yan ng court,” she said.

“August 25, nagmamadali sila na kahit gabi babayaran daw ang mga Laude. Ni hindi nga 'yun ipinaalam sa akin ng mga abogado ng mga Laude,” she added.

Suarez said they later learned a court hearing for the release of the convicted killer had been scheduled for the next day. According to her, they were not informed about this.

“'Yun pala kinabukasan may hearing pala ng order of release na hindi namin alam,” she added.

On September 1, a court in Olongapo ordered the early release of Pemberton, who was convicted in 2015 for killing Laude in 2014.

Judge Roline Ginez-Abalde said Pemberton is "entitled to to be released for he had already served the 10-year maximum of his penalty."

Despite only being five years into his prison term of six to 10 years, Pemberton was ordered released because the judge took into account the good conduct time allowances (GCTA) he had accumulated while detained.

Amid the scrutiny of some groups and lawmakers on the matter, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday granted absolute pardon to Pemberton.

In a briefing from Davao City, Duterte said Pemberton was treated unfairly when his behavior while detained and in prison was not duly monitored by Philippine authorities for good conduct time credits.

Suarez however said it was Jennifer Laude, not Pemberton, who was treated unfairly.

Laude was found dead, with his head inside a toilet bowl, in the bathroom of a Celzone Lodge room in Olongapo City on October 11, 2014.

The victim, then 26 years old, was last seen with Pemberton entering the room with another person after drinking at a nearby bar where they met. The other person, Laude's friend Mark Clarence "Barbie" Gelviro, later left the two alone. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News