Nilinaw mismo ni Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra na walang nag-udyok kay Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte at sarili nitong desisyon na pagkalooban ng “absolute pardon” si US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton.
“From where I was sitting this afternoon at the presidential residence, I saw that the president’s decision to grant pardon to Pemberton was solely his own. No one prompted it,” ani Guevarra.
Paliwanag ni Guevarra, dahil walang reklamo ng misbehavior laban kay Pemberton, ang presumption ay karapat-dapat siya sa good conduct time allowance (GCTA).
Si Pemberton ay nahatulan sa pagpatay sa transgender woman na si Jennifer Laude noong 2014.
Una nang iniutos ng Olongapo City Regional Trial Court na palayain si Pemberton gamit ang GCTA na kaagad namang tinutulan ng pamilya Laude.