Improbable Pardon: The Murder Of Jennifer Laude
On 13 September, the Philippines released and deported United States (US) Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton after President Rodrigo Duterte granted him “absolute pardon” for killing Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, a Filipino transgender woman in 2014. Serving less than six years of his 10-year prison term, Pemberton’s early release sparked public outcry in the country due to a host of other issues.