STUDENT LGBTQIA+ and human rights advocates condemned the decision of an Olongapo court ordering the early release of the killer of Filipina transgender woman Jennifer Laude six years ago.

The group took to social media to denounce the Olongapo Regional Trial Courth Branch 74, which ordered former US Marine Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton released after being granted partial motion for reconsideration owing to his good behavior.

Pemberton has only served five years and eight months of his initial 10-year sentence, but the court argued he has served ‘more’ than his accumulated time service under the good conduct time allowance law.

Pemberton killed Laude in a case of ‘hate crime’ inside a motel room after a night out in October 2014.

The announcement quickly drew the ire of progressive groups as they condemn the court’s decision to let Pemberton walk away by only serving half his initial sentence.

The group used the #KeepPembertonInJail, #JusticeForJennifer, #TransLivesMatter, and #JunkVFA in condemning the court’s decision to free the soldier responsible for the the death of Laude, and called for the junking of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and the United States which they claimed is the leeway for Pemberton’s freedom.

“Hindi rin kailanman ikinulong si Pemberton sa isang regular na seldang hindi pinamamahalaan ng Estados Unidos.Walang tunay na hustisya na makakamit sa sistemang mapang-abuso sa Filipinong LGBTQ+ at sistemang sunud-sunuran sa imperyalistang US,” the University of the Philippines Los Baños Babaylan, a LGBT and straight ally students’ support group, said.

Pemberton has been detained in a restricted facility in Camp Aguinaldo pursuant to the VFA.

“This is only possible in our corrupt, cissexist, and unjust justice system that bows down to foreign and elite interests at the expense of the rights and lives of its own people,” UP Babaylan’s Diliman chapter added.

The UP Diliman University Student Council also denounced the court’s move to free Pemberton and called for justice to all the victims of hate crime.

“Hanggang  hindi natin tuluyang nawawakasan ang kultura ng transphobia at imperyalismo sa ating lipunan, hindi kailanman natin makakamit ang hustisya para kay Jennifer Laude. Hustisya para kay Jennifer Laude! Hustisya para sa lahat ng mga biktima ng hate crime!,” the council said on its Facebook page.

Laude’s family appealed the court decision, noting the US soldier should not yet enjoy his freedom as he never joined other convicts at the New Bilibid Prison and is living ‘solo and comfortably’  in Camp Aguinaldo.