(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has granted absolute pardon to US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, this means whether or not Pemberton is entitled to good conduct time allowance is no longer an issue.
According to Roque, under the absolute pardon, the President, however, “did not erase Pemberton’s conviction.”
“Mamatay-tao pa rin po siya, pero kung ano yung karagdagang parusa pa, binura na ng Presidente,” he added.
Roque said the President did not have to justify why the absolute pardon was given as the grant of pardon or parole was “one of the most presidential of all presidential powers.”
“Hindi na po kinakailangang bigyang dahilan ng Presidente yan dahil yung pag grant po ng pardon at parole, yan naman po ang ating sinasabi na hindi po yan katungkulan ng hudikatura, kung di katungkulan ng ehekutibo,” he said.
Earlier, an Olongapo court ordered the release of Pemberton, who had been sentenced to suffer six to ten years in prison.
In ordering his release, Olongapo RTC Presiding Judge Roline M. Ginez-Jabalde had cited Pemberton’s total accumulated time served of 10 years, one month, and 10 days, which included Good Conduct Time Allowance granted to him.