“Don’t teach us what to do.”
City Prosecutor Emilie Fe Delos Santos told the legal counsel of
Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton after the lawyer of the US
serviceman asked prosecutors to lower her client’s case from murder to
homicide yesterday.
At the second day of the preliminary investigation of the killing of
Filipino transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, Pemberton was still a
no-show.
In a Manifestation and Omnibus Motion sent to the Olongapo City
Prosecutor’s Office, Pemberton’s legal counsel Rowena Garcia Flores
stated that: it was for clarification; to declare absence of probable
cause for murder or any other crime against respondent; and to reduce
the charge to homicide, considering the lack of consequences qualifying
the offense to murder.
The motions were denied by Delos Santos, adding that the defense’s
motions were just delaying tactics to extend the deadline for the filing
of the counter-affidavit. But Delos Santos said the defense has waived
its right for a counter-affidavit.
“It is premature to determine if there is probable cause. We should respect the process,” Delos Santos further said.
The prosecution panel is set to conduct an inspection of the crime scene on November 5.
Meanwhile, Laude’s fiancé Marc Sueselbeck has made it to the Bureau
of Immigration’s watchlist. Sueselback was departing for Germany on
October 26 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) when he was
held by immigration agents.
The charge sheet from the Bureau of Immigration stated that Special
Prosecutor Homer Arellano charged Sueselbeck for being an undesirable
alien under Act 2711, Section 69. It further stated that on October 22,
around 4 p.m., Sueselbeck “showed gross arrogance and serious disrespect
to the Philippine authorities specifically the Armed Forces of the
Philippines when he forcibly entered an off-limits area at Camp
Aguinaldo and he violently pushed a Filipino soldier/military guard.”
“Sueselbeck’s presence in the Philippines poses a risk to public interest,” the statement added.
