Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has countered criticisms on the granting of absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte to Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton.
“The law says every prisoner is entitled to good conduct. Wala pong sinasabi doon, kapag dayuhan ka hindi ka pwede. Hindi rin po sinasabi doon na pag nakakulong ka mag-isa, hindi ka rin pwede ng good conduct (It is not stated that you are not entitled to it if you are a foreigner. It also does not mention that you are not entitled to good conduct if you are in solitary detention),” Panelo emphasized.
“Pangalawa, hindi nga niya kasalanan na nilagay siya doon eh. Wala nga siyang choice. At pangatlo, wala ngang reklamo sa kaniya (Second, it is not his fault that he was placed there. He had no choice. Third, there have been no complaints against him),” Panelo added.
Panelo said allegations of unfairness hurled at the Chief Executive are unacceptable. He reported that 139 pardons have been granted since the start of the Duterte administration, including 135 for Filipinos.
The legal counsel questioned the recent statement of Vice President Leni Robredo that the case of Pemberton is one proof of bias to those in power.
“Napakaraming mga Pilipino na mas magaan ang sala, ngunit hindi nabibigyang-pansin o nabibigyan ng ganitong uri ng pribilehiyo (Many Filipinos with lighter sentences have not been granted this kind of privilege),” Robredo stated.
Panelo also clarified that the granting of freedom to Pemberton does not have any connection with the farewell call paid by outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim in Malacañang on Monday.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a separate statement that Kim “seemed rather surprised when the President mentioned Pemberton’s pardon”. He later thanked the Chief Executive for it.
Meanwhile, Panelo disclosed that the decision of President Duterte to junk the Visiting Forces Agreement between the country and the United States of America did not change. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
