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KEEP WATCHING BEEFY: Corrections Office Chief Gerald Bantag hands over custody of Corporal Lance Joseph Scott Pemberton to the Immigration Office. The BI will implement its 2015 deportation order. Photo by BuCor
MANILA, Philippines – U.S. Marine Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton
President Rodrigo Duterte granted Pemberton outright clemency, making questions about serving his sentence moot and academic.
Last Thursday, the Department of Justice already received a copy of Malacañang’s absolute pardon. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra later transmitted the document to the Corrections Office, who then issued the release order.
On Friday morning or at exactly 11:52 am, BuCor already turned Pemberton over to the Immigration Office. The process is technically a change in the custodial agency of Pemberton, who remains detained within Camp Aguinaldo.
The BI will then implement its 2015 deportation order.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the National Bureau of Investigation is already processing Pemberton’s authorization. An NBI authorization is one of the requirements in the deportation procedure to ensure that the subject of deportation does not have other pending cases in the country.
It was the head of NBI Interpol and staff from the NBI Clearance Division who went to Camp Aguinaldo to obtain the necessary details from Pemberton, including fingerprints and photos.
To date, the NBI has finished verifying and Pemberton has no other pending cases in the country.
In addition to the NBI clearance, Acting Immigration Spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said they needed the details of the trip, including the airline, time and date of their flight.
For now, Pemberton’s attorney, Atty. Rowena García-Flores said there are no details of the flight yet.
“Wala pa,” he said.
The Pemberton camp is also awaiting the result of his swab test.
Guevarra said that they hope that the entire deportation process will be completed this weekend.[ac]
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