PHL must demand full custody of Pemberton, militant solons say

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said the US and Philippines’ shared custody of Pemberton is a “gray area” since Philippine authorities may still need to consult Washington on each and every move they will make with regard to Pemberton’s case.

 

“Jont custody is not stated even in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Putting Pemberton’s in this grey area is akin to not granting custody over Pemberton to Philippine authorities at all,” he said in a statement.

 

Pemberton is accused of killing transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in Olongapo city earlier this month. He was flown in via helicopter from Subic Bay to the Philippine military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Wednesday morning. 

 

Prior to his transfer, the 19-year-old US Marine was detained on board the American warship USS Peleliu.

 

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. announced at a press conference earlier in the day that Washington and Manila would have joint custody over Pemberton.

 

Ridon believes having joint custody of Pemberton will not help expedite the criminal investigation on the Laude case. “The Aquino administration must still demand for clear, unequivocal surrender of Pemberton’s custody to the Philippines,” he stressed.

 

The lawmaker, meanwhile, called on the AFP not give Pemberton “special treatment.” The lawmaker questioned why Pemberton is in a separate detention facility equipped with air conditioning.

 

“The AFP must not treat Pemberton like a VIP. After all, he’s not a distinguished visitor – he is the suspect in a heinous crime,” Ridon said.

 

In a separate statement, Gabriela party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus called  joint custody of Pemberton “legal fiction” and claimed the US government is “twist[ing] the fine print” of the VFA by insisting on the arrangement.

 

Echoing the words of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago at the Senate probe on Laude’s death, she said Pemberton’s custody should be the Philippines’ prerogative because “custody is inseparable from jurisdiction, even if we are just talking in the unequal framework of the VFA.”  — ELR, GMA News