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MANILA, Philippines – Joseph Scott Pemberton, pardoned from the United States Navy, tested negative for the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Office of Corrections (BuCor).
On Saturday, BuCor sent a copy of the Pemberton reverse transcription polymerase chain (RT-PCR) test result. He said the new coronavirus was not detected.
“Test result: SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA (COVID-19 causative agent) not detected,” read the result of the laboratory test issued by the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa on 12 of September.
LOOK: Pemberton’s RT-PCR result showing negative for COVID-19. 📷BuCor @inquirerdotnet pic.twitter.com/QdEIElIryY
– Consuelo Marquez (@ConsINQ) September 12, 2020
Based on the test result, the RITM collected the Pemberton sample on Wednesday, September 9. The result was published on Saturday at 1 am.
Pemberton, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude, received full pardon from President Rodrigo Duterte.
Despite public outrage, Pemberton is almost free from arrest, while clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and flight arrangements remain pending.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that the NBI authorization is one of the mandatory documents for deportation proceedings that will ensure that the subject of deportation has no pending cases in the Philippines.
Prior to the granting of clemency, Pemberton was supposed to be released after an Olongapo court said that he had served his jail sentence after the calculation of his time allowance for good conduct.
According to Virgie Lacsa-Suarez, legal counsel for the Laude family, the US Marines did not apologize to them while Pemberton was in jail.
/ MUF
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