ADVERTISEMENT
Filtered By: Topstories
News

Militants picket Olongapo hall of justice before Pemberton’s prelim investigation

By ROUCHELLE R. DINGLASAN, GMA News

(Updated 12:40 p.m.) OLONGAPO CITY - At least 100 protesters from different militant groups on Tuesday staged a rally near the Olongapo Hall of Justice ahead of the scheduled preliminary investigation on the killing of transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude. 
 
In an interview with reporters, Fidel Fababier, vice chairman of the Kilusan para sa Demokrasya, said they were staging the protest to call for justice on killing of 26-year-old Laude.
 
"Hinahanap namin ang hustiya sa pagpaslang kay Jennifer... Hindi totoong isolated case itong kaso ng pagpaslang, pang-aabuso, at pamggagahasa sa ating mga kababaihan at nakakagulat nga na pati ang miyembro ng LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) ay nagiging biktima na rin," he said. 

A photo tweeted by GMA News' Ian Cruz showed police manning barricades to keep the militants from entering the Hall of Justice.

 
A US Marine, Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, is facing a muder complaint over the incident. He is to undergo a preliminary investigation at 2 p.m. Tuesday for the killing of Laude.

Olongapo City Prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos will preside over the preliminary investigation. 

On Monday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Olongapo City prosecutor will insist on Pemberton's personal appearance.
 
On Sunday, the US Embassy said it will leave it to Pemberton whether to appear before the Olongapo City Prosecutor's Office for his preliminary investigation. 
 
Earlier, barricades and uniformed police personnel secured the Olongapo City Hall of Justice for the preliminary investigation.

Scrap VFA

At the same time, the protesters called for the scapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States. 
 
"Hindi pantay ang kasunduan sa ilalim ng special relations sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at US lalo na sa ilalim ng VFA... Tutol kami na nasa kustodiya ng US si Pemberton," Fababier said. 
 
The protesters can not move in front of the Hall of Justice because some 100 policemen formed a barricade along the road. 
 
Fababier said they will hold protests until justice is served. He added that they will stage a rally outside the Senate on Wednesday when the chamber's foreign affairs committee holds an inquiry on the Laude killing. — with Joel Locsin/KG/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: josephscottpemberton, jeffreylaude
Most Popular