MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration has announced that US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton was successfully deported from the Philippines on Sunday morning, September 13.

Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in an interview that the military plane that carried Pemberton took off from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at exactly 9:14 a.m. He was accompanied by members of the US military and representatives of the US embassy.

The BI official, however, stressed authorities cannot disclose the specific state of Pemberton’s destination for security reasons.

Pemberton was convicted of homicide for killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude in 2014.

He was released by virtue of the absolute pardon granted to him by President Rodrigo Duterte after five years into his service of a six-to-10-year prison sentence.

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in the Philippines on Sunday also released an official statement on Pemberton’s release.

“All legal proceedings in the case took place under Philippine jurisdiction and law,” it read.

“Lance Cpl. Pemberton fulfilled his sentence as ordered by Philippine courts and he departed the Philippines on September 13,” it added. — /mbmf

MANILA, Philippines – The custody of pardoned US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton has been transferred on Friday to the Bureau Immigration (BI) from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Pemberton was turned over to the BI custody around 11 a.m. and his BuCor guards were recalled to the New Bilibid Prisons.

The Immigration bureau earlier said it requested to take over the custody of Pemberton to complete the deportation proceedings against him.

The deportation order was issued against Pemberton in 2015 for being an undesirable alien when he was sentenced for the 2014 murder of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.

Although he is already under the Immigration bureau, Pemberton will remain at his detention facility inside Camp Aguinaldo as he completes the requirements for his exit from the country.

Foreign nationals who are up for deportation are required to submit clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and regional trial court as proof that they have no more pending criminal or civil cases.

Once these requirements are submitted, the deportee’s flight will then be arranged and scheduled by the BI.

According to BI spokesperson Melvin Mabulac, the immigration legal division has started processing Pemberton’s deportation, and the NBI has already taken his fingerprints and photo for the clearance.

“Ang importante kasi sa implementation ng deportation order, stipulated kasi doon kung ano ang flight na sasakyan at anong araw aalis at anong travel document ang submitted. Very specific yun eh sa implementation ng deportation order,” he said.

Aside from NBI clearance, Pemberton is also waiting for the result of the COVID-19 swab test conducted on him earlier this week.

The United States Embassy in Manila is also expected to submit Pemberton’s travel documents, including passport, itinerary or the actual date of exit from the country depends on his flight arrangements as he is a military personnel of the US. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Dante Amento)

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice sees no problem in having US soldier Joseph Scott Pemberton deported from the country after being granted pardon.

“If there was already a final deportation order against Pemberton, and he is not contesting it, then so be it. Either way, he’s out,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday in a message to reporters.

Guevarra’s remark came after the Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced it will implement its deportation order against Pemberton once he is released from detention and turned over to them by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente earlier said the deportation order was issued against Pemberton in 2015 for being an undesirable alien when he was sentenced for the 2014 murder of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.

The BI chief explained that his request will enable the bureau to complete the deportation proceedings that was initiated against the American convict.

He also stressed that turning over alien convicts who have finished serving their prison sentences so they could be sent back to their country of origin is a standard operating procedure for BuCor.

Foreign nationals who are up for deportation are required to submit clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and regional trial court as proof that they have no more pending criminal or civil cases.

Once these requirements are submitted, the deportee’s flight will then be arranged and scheduled by the BI.

Morente earlier said they will await instructions from Guevarra for guidance on how we will implement the deportation order in a manner that is within the prescribed laws of the country. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Dante Amento)