US takes custody of Marine suspected of killing transgender woman

(Updated 11:50 a.m.) The United States Embassy in Manila on Tuesday confirmed that a US Marine identified as a possible suspect in the killing of a transgender woman in Olongapo City over the weekend in now being held on board a US ship.

 

In a statement, the embassy said they have identified the US Marine that may have been involved in the killing.

 

"The suspected Marine is assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina," it said. "He is being held onboard USS Peleliu while a joint Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Philippine National Police investigation is conducted."

 

"The United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation," it added.



Transgender woman Jeffrey Laude, who was also known to go by the name Jennifer, was found dead in an Olongapo City inn over the weekend. The victim was reported to have been last seen with a foreigner before the killing.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the Philippines can request for the custody of American soldiers believed to be involved in heinous crimes.

 

In the event that a member of the US military is involved in a crime in the country, the Philippines has jurisdication over the case, according to the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

 

However, the VFA also states that custody of the suspect goes to the United States of America, which is then required to present the suspect at judicial proceedings. 

On Monday, Visiting Forces Agreement Commission Executive Director Eduardo Oban Jr. said US Pacific commander Admiral Samuel Locklear III has already ordered US ships in the country to stay in the Philippines until investigation on the incident is done. 

USS Peleliu is one of five US ships currently in Subic. 

The American soldiers aboard the US ships attended a bilateral military exercise in Subic that ended last Friday. The US troops had to remain in the country because of Typhoon Ompong (Vongfong). —Amanda Fernandez/KG/RSJ/KBK, GMA News