Court to VFA: Produce agreement on Pemberton’s detention at AFP

By: Tetch Torres-Tupas - 9 years ago

Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton. Photo from Olongapo City Police

The Olongapo Regional Trial Court gave the VFA Commission five days to produce before the court the agreement stating that Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton should be detained at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Custodial Center in case of conviction.

Pemberton, who was convicted of homicide for the death of transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, has been ordered transferred to the New Bilibid Prison citing ambiguity on the provision of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the exchange of notes between the Philippines and US.

US Marines, according to Atty. Harry Roque, surrounded Pemberton, keeping him away from the Philippine police.

Pemberton’s camp filed a handwritten motion for clarification, which was heard by the court.

In an order issued late Tuesday, the court said “the Executive Director of PVCF (Philippine Commission on Visiting Forces) is hereby ordered to submit to this Court within five days from today the Memorandum of Agreement entered into…and the written agreement between duly authorized representatives of the US and the Philippines on the confinement or detention of accused Pemberton after conviction.”

Pending submission of the Agreement, the Court said Pemberton will remain at Camp Aguinaldo under the supervision of the Bureau of Corrections. TVJ