Military plane believed to be carrying Pemberton takes off from NAIA

A military airplane believed to be carrying US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton took off from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) past 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The said plane was earlier spotted at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City after a van supposedly carrying Pemberton left Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

However, there is no confirmation yet if Pemberton, who was convicted in 2015 for killing transgender Filipino woman Jennifer Laude in 2014, boarded the aircraft.

According to a report of Mao dela Cruz on Dobol B sa News TV, security at the terminal was strict and even media people were not allowed to enter the Villamor Airbase especially Kalayaan Hall.

Pemberton was scheduled to be released on Sunday. He was under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and set for deportation.

On Saturday, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said Pemberton will probably have a special flight, and not a commercial flight. —with Joviland Rita/KG, GMA News