PH must demand for full custody of Pemberton for Laude slay

probe
By DJ Yap |Philippine Daily Inquirer
3:15 pm | Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014
MANILA, Philippines The transfer of a US Marine suspected of killing a Filipino transgender to Camp Aguinaldo was a
positive development but the Philippines must still demand full custody of the American in accordance with the procedures
of the countrys criminal justice system, a party-list lawmaker said Wednesday.
Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon said he welcomed the fact that Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton has been placed
in a Philippine detention facility but expressed concern about the arrangement between the Philippines and the United
States having joint custody over him.
Transferring Pemberton to a Philippine detention facility is the result of the mounting public pressure for the suspects
custody. While it is indeed a positive development, Philippine authorities must still demand for full custody, he said in a
statement.
Pemberton is the suspect in the killing of Jeffrey Jennifer Laude in an Olongapo City motel earlier this month. He was
transferred to a facility at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City via helicopter on Wednesday morning.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. announced at a press conference that
Washington and Manila would have joint custody over Pemberton.
But Ridon said such an arrangement might not be advantageous to Philippine authorities at all, as they would still need to
consult Washington on each and every move they will make with regard to Pembertons case.
Besides, joint custody is not stated even in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Putting Pembertons in this gray area is
akin to not granting custody over Pemberton to Philippine authorities at all, he said.
Having joint custody would not help expedite the criminal investigation for the slay case, Ridon said. The Aquino
administration must still demand for clear, unequivocal surrender of Pembertons custody to the Philippines, he stressed.
The lawmaker also called on the AFP not to give Pemberton any special treatment, saying he should not be placed in a
separate air-conditioned detention facility.
The AFP must not treat Pemberton like a VIP. After all, hes not a distinguished visitor he is the suspect in a heinous
crime, Ridon said.
He also maintained that the Pemberton case should be enough justification for the abrogation of the VFA.
The situation we find ourselves in a situation in which we hold a suspect in a Philippine detention facility yet we cannot
decide on his activities without first consulting the US is a result of VFAs lopsided provisions, he said.
For decades, the VFA has made a mockery of Philippine laws, and its time that we put a stop to all this, Ridon said.







No tickets for Pope Francis visit to PH
By Ador Vincent S. Mayol
When Pope Francis visits the country on Jan. 15 to 19 next year, there will be no tickets distributed or sold for people to attend papal
events.
A Vatican representative yesterday warned Filipinos not to believe parties who offer tickets for sale.
The attention of this Apostolic Nunciature has been drawn to a very unpleasant information regarding some groups already sel ling
tickets for the the Masses and various events scheduled during the visit of the Holy Father to the Philippines, said Archbishop
Giuseppe Pinto, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, in a letter to the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Pinto requested the CBCP to help him announce that no tickets will be sold for any papal gatherings, and to persuade people to desist
from buying them.
It is regrettable that some might wish to take advantage of the papal visit to exploit innocent people and enrich themselves, the papal
nuncio said. Pope Francis is scheduled to spend time with victims of supertyphoon Yolanda.
Itinerary
His trip to Leyte on Jan. 17 will include an open air Mass at the Tacloban airport and the blessing of the cathedral.
The Holy Father is also set to dine with at least 30 persons who lost their loved ones during supertyphoon Yolanda and the Bohol
earthquake.
The popes complete itinerary will be announced later this year.
Cebuanos continue to hope that Pope Francis will also visit the Queen City of the South since his Philippine trip falls on the week of the
Feast of the Sto. Nio. But, so far, only Manila and Leyte are mentioned, said Palo Archbishop John Du.
On Nov. 8, 2013, supertyphoon Yolanda devastated the eastern part of the Visayas, leaving 6,300 people dead while 1,060 more are
listed missing.

Palma welcomes Pope Francis visit next year
By Ador Vincent S. Mayol
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma welcomed reports that Pope Francis will be visiting the Philippines in January next year.
He said it just proves that the Holy Father wants to be close to victims of calamities.
But Palma said he hopes that Pope Francis will attend the 2016 International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu City in 2016.
Pope Francis recently declared that he will visit the Philippines and Sri Lanka next year. Though his itinerary hasnt been divulged yet,
Manila Archbishop Ramon Tagle said Pope Francis is planning to visit Tacloban, Bohol, and Cebu.










Pemberton kalaboso na
MANILA, Philippines Nasa kustodiya na ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) si US Marine Pfc. Joseph Scott
Pemberton na sinasabing pumaslang sa transgender na si Jeffey Jennifer Laude sa Olongapo City.
Si Pemberton ay inihatid kahapon sa Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City ganap na alas 8:45 ng umaga.
Sinamahan ng US at Philippine officials si Pemberton na dinala sa pamamagitan ng aircraft mula sa kanyang pansa-
mantalang kulungan sa USS Peleliu na kasalukuyang nakadaong sa Subic Bay, Zambales.
Ayon kay AFP Chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang, ang suspek ay ikukulong sa Mutual Defense Board-Security
Engagement Board Facility habang isinasagawa ang preliminary investigation sa kasong murder nito.
Si Pemberton ay nakapiit sa may isang 20-foot container van na inilagay sa lugar at kinabitan ng rehas na bakal. Mayroon
din itong isang military type cot na kama at isang air-conditioning system.
We could not take his photos as this will violate his rights, sabi ni Catapang.
Ang suspek ay babantayan sa loob ng kanyang detention cell ng mga personnel ng US Marine Custodial Unit habang ang
Military Police personnel mula sa General Headquarters Support Command ang magse-secure naman sa labas ng
perimeters ng pasilidad.
Ayon pa kay Catapang, ang korte na umano ang magdedesisyon sa karapat-dapat na kulungan sa sandaling ang kaso ay
maisampa na laban sa akusado.
Siniguro naman ni Pangulong Aquino na hindi binibigyan ng special treatment ng gobyerno si Pemberton.
The tragedy will be settled, in the sense that the guilty will be made to answer for the crime, giit ng Pangulo.
Pero iginiit kay US Ambassador Phillip Goldberg na nananatili sa custody ng US government si Pemberton sa pakikipag-
kooperasyon ng Pilipinas.
Aniya, wala rin siyang balak na dalawin ang burol ni Laude dahil hindi naman niya ito kilala ng personal pero
nakikidalamhati siya sa pamilya nito.
Inulit din kahapon ni PNoy na hindi dapat maging basehan ng pagbuwag ng VFA ang kasalanan lamang ng isang US
serviceman dahil ito ay bahagi ng Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Amerika.

Fingerprints, laway ni Pemberton nais ng pamilya ni Laude
MANILA, Philippines Hiniling ng pamilya ng biktimang si Jeffrey Jennifer Laude sa Olongapo City prosecutor's office
na sumailalim sa booking process ang suspek na si US marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.
Naghain ng mosyon ang pamilya Laude upang ipa-subpoena si Pemberton upang makadalo sa Nobyembre 5 at
sumailaim sa pagpapakuha ng fingerprints at laway para sa DNA test.
Ayon sa abogado ng pamilya ay hindi pa natatapos ng Philippine National Police ang kanilang imbestigasyon kay
Pemberton dahil nasa kustodiya pa ito ng US government kahit nakapiit ito sa Camp Aguinaldo sa Quezon City.
"Pfc. Pemberton has yet to undergo standard booking procedures, so that police investigators have not been able to lift
fingerprints from him-- a procedure that is de rigueur for police investigations across many jurisdictions around the world,"
nakasaad sa mosyon.
Important physical evidence need to be gathered for DNA testing, to determine whether there is in fact, such evidence to
establish - at the very least - respondent's presence in the scene of the crime."
Inilipad gamit ng isang helicopter si Pemberton kahapon mula sa barko patungong Camp Aguinaldo kung saan isang air-
conditioned na kwarto ang kanyang magiging piitan.

Jennifer matutulad kay Nicole?
Ni Butch Quejada (Pilipino Star Ngayon)
MANILA, Philippines Pinangangambahang matutulad ang kaso ng transgender na si Jennifer Laude sa kaso ng
Pilipinang si Nicole (hindi tunay na pangalan) na ang mga sangkot ay mga sundalong Amerkano.
Ito ang ipinahiwatig ni Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello na kumakalampag sa Department of Justice ukol sa usapin ng
kustodya kay US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton na pansamantalang nakakulong sa Camp Aguinaldo
dahil sa pagkakapatay umano nito sa transgender na si Laude sa Olongapo.
Sinabi ni Bello na, kahit pansamantalang nakakulong si Pemberton sa isang military facility, dapat magpalabas ng legal
opinion si DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima na maglilinaw sa custody provision ng Visiting Forces Agreement ng Pilipinas at
ng Amerika.
Sinabi ni Bello na dapat linawin kung makukulong lang si Pemberton sa Camp Aguinaldo sa panahon ng paglilitis ng korte
o kagyat na hihilingin ng US na isailalim sa kustodya nito ang naturang sundalo. Papayag ba ang Pilipinas na kunin ng
Amerika si Pemberton? pahiwatig na tanong ng kongresista.
Sinabi ni Bello na maaaring karapatan ng US authorities na hingin ang kustodya kay Pemberton alinsunod sa VFA pero
hindi dapat ipaubaya ng pamahalaan ang sundalong Amerkano.
Isa siyang Amerkanong nakagawa ng krimen sa Pilipinas. Dapat siyang sumailalim sa Philippine Penakl system sa
kanyang pagkakakulong at pag-uusig, dagdag niya.
Nagbabala si Bello na maaaring matakasan ni Pemberton ang hustisya habang tumatagal ang usapin sa kustodya kaya
mahalagang magpalabas ng opinyon ang DOJ.
Ganyan ang nangyari sa kasong panggagahasa kay Nichole. Tumanggi ang mga awtoridad na isuko si US Marine Daniel
Smith sa Philippine custody kahit nililitis na siya sa kasong panggagahasa hanggang sa mailigtas nila ito, sabi pa ni
Bello.
Tinutukoy ni Bello ang 2005 case ni Nicole na hinalay ni Smith habang nasa tour of duty ito sa ilalim ng VFA.
Ipinaliwanag ni Bello na ang opinion ng DOJ ang susi sa pagtitiyak ng hustisya para kay Laude at maiwasang
mabuhaghag ang soberanya ng Pilipinas sa ilalim ng VFA.


Pope Francis bibisita sa Pinas sa Enero
(Pilipino Star Ngayon) | Updated May 27, 2014 - 1:44pm
MANILA, Philippines Mapapaaga ang pagbisita ng Santo Papa sa Pilipinas matapos niyang ianunsyo ang kanyang
pagdating sa susunod na taon.
Sa ulat ng Associated Press, sinabi ni Pope Francis na daraan muna siya ng Sri Lanka bago magtungo sa Pilipinas sa
Enero.
Wala pa namang eksaktong detalye sa kanyang pagdating.
Samantala, kumpiyansa si Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle na matutuloy ang pagbisita ng pinuno ng
Simbahang Katolika.
"The Vatican has not yet announced the dates and specific itinerary that the pope will observe, but I am confident it will
happen early next year," wika ni Tagle.
Sa 2016 pa sana darating ang Santo Papa para sa international Catholic gathering sa Cebu, pero naniniwala si Tagle na
naging malaking dahilan ang magnitude 7.2 na lindol sa Bohol at ang pananalasa ng bagyong Yolanda noong nakaraang
taon.
"I think one of the purposes of the visit of the Holy Father is to come close to the people who suffered from the recent
typhoon and the earthquake," sabi ni Tagle.