Julita Laude, mother of slain Filipino transgender woman Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude attempted to personally serve the subpoena issued by Emelie delos Santos of the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office to the accused of the murder US Marine Corps Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton who is believed to be held by the US military in the amphibious ship USS Peleliu docked at the Subic Port after Philippine authorities were unable to hand the subpoena to Pemberton himself.
Olongapo City Prosecutor Emelie de los Santos and Eduardo de Vega of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) just handed Pemberton’s subpoena to the US Embassy in Manila on Sunday.
Julita Laude said that she wanted to deliver the subpoena to Pemberton upon hearing reports that the Philippine authorities will only hand it over to the US Embassy in Manila. She also wanted to see the person whom she believes murdered Jennifer. Pemberton who is part of the US soldiers holing joint military exercises under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) , was positively identified by Jennifer’s friend and companion prior the murder, “Barbie” (not her real name) as part of the police investigation. Barbie also told the local police that she accompanied Jennifer and Pemberton to Celzone Lodge hours before the former was found brutally killed in the room they checked into on October 11, 2014.
“Days have passed already and we are yet to hear anything from the government saying or promising that they will give justice to my daughter. I also wanted to deliver the subpoena to Pemberton so that I would be able to see the face of the American murderer,” cried Julita.
Julita, her kin, along with patriotic organizations Gabriela, labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Kapederasyon LGBT Sectoral organization trooped and was able to breach the first gates of the Subic port but was already barred by local police and security guards from the gates directly enclosing the wharf area where USS Peleliu is docked. But neither the local police nor the guards of the port did not want to receive the subpoena saying that their superiors are not present at the time and that they do not even know US officials aboard the ship.
The family’s lawyer attached the subpoena to the barbed wire that was set-up that day to fence the port from the expected protesters.
The Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office issued a subpoena requiring Pemberton to appear on October 21, Tuesday, before the Olongapo court along with four other US servicemen “to testify and answer some questions” regarding the murder of Jennifer.
In a statement, the US Embassy said that four US servicemen who have been deemed by the local court as witnesses already provided their sworn statements and will no longer appear on Tuesday’s hearing but will be made available for the whole duration of the trial the statement of the Embassy said.
Gated, guarded haven
Kapederasyon LGBT Sectoral organization stressed the importance of having Pemberton on Philippine custody and not aboard the USS Peleliu. In a statement Corky Maranan, Spokesperson of Kapaderasyon said that they “join the demand to assert the country’s laws and have the suspect face Philippine court. We caution the government against engaging in another whitewash under the guise of implementing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). We fear that the suspect will be another Daniel Smith who was given special treatment and escaped the Philippine justice system.”
The whole of the Subic Freeport has multiple layers of security to which some of the protesters were able to sneak into. But the local police had several attempts of evicting the demonstrators from the Subic port complex even after the protests.
Uphill battle
In an interview with Manila Today, Julita stressed out that she will fight to attain justice for Jennifer while she is still alive. “It may endanger my life, but I could hardly care now, I want justice for my daughter, I don’t need money, if they will offer such, I will gladly refuse because it would mean that I am selling my own daughter to the murderer,” exclaimed Julita while in tears.
As of this writing, President Aquino is yet to make a statement regarding the case of Laude which spurred public outrage from the country’s LGBT community over the possible “hate crime” committed and renewed criticisms on the VFA on US encroachment of Philippine laws and sovereignty and impunity in cases that involved US military personnel participating in the military exercises through provisions of the VFA.
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Updated October 23, 2014
