Duterte said Pemberton won't be freed while he's President, says Laude mom

The mother of Joseph Scott Pemberton's victim on Friday bared her pain following President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to give the convicted killer an absolute pardon less than five years after he was convicted of homicide in late 2015.

In remarks coursed through lawyer Virginia Suarez, Jennifer  Laude's mom Julita said Duterte promised her Pemberton would not be released while he was the Chief Executive.

"Sabi niya na hangga't siya raw ang nakaupo, hinding hindi niya papayagan na makalaya si Pemberton," Julita said.

Duterte pardoned Pemberton this week, amid a debate on whether the former US Marine was entitled to release four years ahead of the end of his 10-year sentence.

The absolute pardon cleared all legal obstacles to the American killer's release.

Julita said Duterte even helped out financially and expressed support for their cause.

"Sabihin mo po sa media na sumama ang loob ko dahil ang buong akala ko na maging ang pangulo na siya ang tumulong sakin na sabi niya ipaglaban at siya pa mismo nagbigay ng tulong pinansyal nuon dahil masaya raw siya na pinakipaglaban namin ang kaso,"  Julita's message to Suarez read.

The pardon came as a surprise to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, whose prosecutors had just joined the Laude family in contesting a court order for Pemberton's early release, and even to US Ambassador Sung Kim.

"Ayos lang sana kung hindi siya nagbigay ng absolute pardon, para kahit papaano ay may laban naman kami," Julita said.

"Sampung taong pagkakakulong lang sana ang hinihingi naming kabayaran para sa buhay ng anak ko, samping taon lang sana! Napaka iksing panahong kabayarang pagkakakulong para sa buhay ng anak ko," she added.

Jennifer, 26, was found dead in the bathroom of a Celzone Lodge room in Olongapo City on October 11, 2014. She was last seen with Pemberton, then 19 years old.

Pemberton claimed during trial that he fought with Laude when he discovered she had male genitals following an intimate act.

Records of the Court of Appeals indicated that Pemberton had testified that he "got his arm around Laude's neck" and "just held Laude there until he realized that he was not moving."

He claimed that Laude was still breathing when he left her and denied that he dunked her head inside the motel room's toilet bowl.

Though charged with murder, Pemberton was convicted of homicide and sentenced to six to 10 years of imprisonment.

Immigration authorities are now processing Pemberton's deportation while he remains detained at Camp Aguinaldo.

Once this process is completed and his flight is arranged, the American can leave the country. He is prohibited from returning. -NB, GMA News