Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Ferdinand Gaite on Sunday described President Rodrigo Duterte as an “American lackey” and a traitor to Filipinos for letting former US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton go free.
Pemberton, who was convicted for the killing of transwoman Jennifer Laude in 2014, flew back to the US on Sunday morning after receiving an absolute pardon from Duterte.
“Never forget Jennifer Laude. Never forget her murder. Never forget the name of her murderer. And most of all, never forget who freed her murderer. Never forget who stole justice from all of us,” Gaite said.
“The people will hold Pres. Duterte accountable, and history will not be kind. Pres. Duterte will be remembered as the American lackey who freed the murderer of his fellow Filipino. Isang taksil sa sarili niyang kababayan,” the Makabayan lawmaker said.
Pemberton was ordered released by an Olongapo Court earlier this month, six years into his 10-year sentence.
The family initially sought for the court to reverse its decision but an absolute pardon from the President announced on September 7 aborted the court proceedings and finalized Pemberton’s early release.
“Contrary to what Duterte claimed that we were not fair towards Pemberton, the convicted soldier in fact enjoyed special treatment,” Gaite said.
“His most recent photos give us an idea how well he was treated while in ‘detention’ inside a US-controlled encampment. The lopsided Visiting Forces Agreement ensured this,” he added.
“And thus we reiterate our call for the immediate termination of the VFA and the complete pull out of US armed forces in the Philippines,” said Gaite.
“Injustices such as this would continue to happen as long as we are tied to an agreement that values the interests of a foreign power above our own dignity and sovereignty as a nation,” he said.
The post Gaite: Duterte an ‘American lackey’ for letting Pemberton go free first appeared on Latest Philippine politics news today.
Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)
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