MANILA, Philippines — Murder suspect Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, an American Marine, refused to enter a plea at the arraignment Monday for the killing of Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude.
The Olongapo Regional Trial Court instead entered a "not guilty" plea for Pemberton, who has been under United States custody while detained at the military headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.
Virgie Suarez, among the legal counsels of Laude's family, said that the refusal to enter plea was to accompany the defense panel's move to elevate the case to the Court of Appeals.
"He refused to enter a plea dahil nga kukwestyunin pa nila sa higher court 'yung dismissal nu'ng kanilang motion for reconsideration sa [Department of Justice]," Suarez said.
The motion of Pemberton's camp to reduce the murder charge to homicide was earlier junked by the Department of Justice.
READ: DOJ affirms murder indictment of Pemberton
Marilou Laude, the victim's sister, said Pemberton was shaking and stuttering whenever asked to speak during the proceedings.
"Ang lakas ng loob niyang patayin, samantalang doon hindi na siya makasalita, nauutal na siya sa katotohanan," Marilou said.
Marilou described Pemberton as calm and could still manage to smile as he was brought to the courtroom.
"Kala mo walang nararamdaman [si Pemberton], na hindi natatakot, na kala mo e, kinabukasan tapos na lahat, so parang may sinasandalan siya," Marilou said.
She also confessed feeling harassed with the presence of security personnel around Pemberton.
"Sila na ang nakapuno doon sa courtroom. Kami lang ng kapatid ko, katabi na namin mga NCIS. Nakakaharass sa pakiramdam," Marilou said, referring to members of the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service.