(Eagle News)–American soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton is now banned from re-entering the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration said on Monday, Sept. 14.
According to immigration bureau chief Jaime Morente, this was since Pemberton, who was deported on Sunday, has already been placed on the bureau’s blacklist.
He said the American soldier has been on that list since Sept. 16, 2015, when he was ordered deported by the bureau’s Board of Commissioners for being an undesirable alien after being charged with murder, and later being convicted of homicide in connection with the 2014 incident.
Although Pemberton filed a motion for reconsideration of the order signed by then immigration chief Siegfred Mison, and Deputies Gilberto Repizo and Abdullah Mangotara in November 2015, the bureau said this was denied.
“His criminal case is separate from his immigration case,” Morente said.
“The bureau saw that he is a risk to public safety, having been found guilty of the crime. Hence he was tagged as an undesirable alien..,” he added.
He noted the bureau ordered Pemberton’s deportation more than three months before the Olongapo court found him guilty of homicide and sentenced him to prison.
“Following standard deportation procedures, we had to wait until he completed serving his sentence before we could implement the deportation order,” Morente said.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte granted absolute pardon to Pemberton, saying he had been treated unfairly as authorities did not monitor good conduct time allowances that could be credited against the sentence he was supposed to serve in prison.
The President made the announcement after the same Olongapo court that found Pemberton guilty ordered him released after noting he had already served more than the 10-year maximum prison sentence that court had imposed and the Court of Appeals subsequently affirmed, based on GCTA.
The Palace said with the grant of absolute pardon, Pemberton could already be freed but his conviction remained.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque added whether or not Pemberton was entitled to the GCTA was no longer an issue.
On Sunday, Pemberton left the Philippines for the United States.
Morente said Pemberton underwent regular processing and booking procedures, and was required to secure clearances from the appropriate offices, and to present a travel document, and outbound travel arrangements, before being deported.
“Upon completion of the required documents, we immediately implemented the deportation,” Morente said.
“He was escorted by (bureau) agents to ensure that he has boarded his aircraft. Should he attempt to re-enter the country after being deported, he will be denied entry and will be excluded,” he added.