Dozens of people protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Tuesday demanding the expulsion of U.S. troops and calling for justice for the death of a transgender woman allegedly at the hands of a Marine.
Twenty-six-year-old Jennifer Laude, identified in some media reports as Jeffrey Laude, was found dead Saturday night at a hotel in Olongapo City, which is located on Subic Bay, about 60 miles from Manila Bay.
Various details are emerging of what transpired the evening Laude died—that she met the suspect at a bar, the two went back to the hotel together, she was found in the hotel room with signs of strangulation, beatings and drowning, and there were used condoms in the room.
The suspect in the case has been identified by an eyewitness and CCTV footage as Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is being held on board the USS Peleliu. Pemberton is among thousands of Marines who were in the area for joint military exercises carried out by U.S. and Philippine forces.
Philippines’ military chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said that though “we’re alarmed,” the situation “will not affect our relationship with the United States.”
Stars and Stripes reported Tuesday that five warships are being held in port as the investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Philippine National Police continues. The U.S. Embassy has stated that “United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation.”
Key in what will happen to Pemberton is a pact between the two countries—an agreement critics like the League of Filipino Students say previously allowed U.S. servicemember Daniel Smith to evade local justice after he raped a woman.
“Under the Visiting Forces Agreement, the custody of the erring soldier stays with the Americans,” Catapang said following a meeting with the U.S. Pacific commander Admiral Samuel Locklear.
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