Pemberton to write apology letter to Laude family

MANILA, Philippines — US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton, recently granted absolute pardon by President Duterte after being convicted for killing Filipino transgender Jennifer Laude six years ago, will push through with his letter of apology to the Laude family, according to Pemberton’s lawyer.

“He will push through with it. He will write a letter of apology,” Rowena Flores said in an interview with “The Chiefs” aired on One News / TV5 on Tuesday night.

Flores said her client had been wanting to apologize to the family of his victim.

“I have no power to force him to write a letter (of apology),” Flores said, denying the claim of the Laude family’s lawyer Virginia Suarez that Flores was just forcing her client to issue an apology.

Suarez said Pemberton should have apologized six years ago.

“I don’t see any sincerity in the apology,” Suarez also told “The Chiefs.”

She maintained that Pemberton was afforded so many privileges not given to common Filipinos.

In a television interview yesterday, Flores said they are awaiting two important documents for her client’s trip back to the US – a letter from the Office of the President showing he was pardoned, and a clearance of the National Bureau of Investigation stating he has no pending case.

“We are hoping he could leave the country on Friday,” she said.

Flores added that her client would like to finish college upon his return to the US.

“He would like to take philosophy,” she said when asked what course Pemberton would like to pursue in college.