VFA – ellen tordesillas

Aquino’s deafening silence on the killing of Jennifer Laude

Published by Ellen on October 19, 2014

The silence of President Aquino on the murder of a Filipino transgender by a member of the United States Marine Corps more than a week ago in Olongapo City is deafening.

Jennifer Laude, 26, a citizen of this country was killed brutally (severely beaten, strangled, drowned , her head shoved in the toilet bowl) almost midnight of Oct. 11 by Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, who is here as part of the PH-US military exercises.

More than a week has passed and not a word of concern from the President of the Philippines.
No representative from Malacañang nor from the Department of Foreign Affairs has visited the grieving family of Laude.

U.S. custody of Pemberton denigrates PH sovereignty

Published by Ellen on October 14, 2014

Facebook account of Joseph Scott Pemberton.

The suspected killer of transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton of the US Marine Corps 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, is in the custody of the United States.

A statement by the U.S. Embassy in Manila said Pemberton “ is being held onboard USS Peleliu while a joint Naval Criminal Investigative Service and Philippine National Police investigation is conducted. The United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation.”

USS Peleliu, which is in Subic Bay for PHIBLEX 15, a joint amphibious landing exercise, was due to leave Tuesday but its departure was put on hold because of this crime involving one of the American soldiers.

Daniel Smith acquitted

Published by Ellen on April 23, 2009

‘Romantic episode,’ not rape, says CA

by Tetch Torres, Dona Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The Court of Appeals has acquitted an American marine of raping a Filipina, saying the soldier and his accuser shared a “spontaneous, unplanned romantic episode.”

In a 71-page decision, the appellate court said Lance Corporal Daniel Smith and the victim, identified in court only as Nicole, were both intoxicated after a night out and were “carried away by their passions.”

The court also said Nicole flirted with Smith and led him on with “reckless abandon” and that there was “no evidence” that she was forced into sex.

SC orders Smith placed under RP custody

Published by Ellen on February 11, 2009

Constitutionality of VFA affirmed

by Tetch Torres
Inquirer.net, Agence France-Presse

The Supreme Court has ruled that custody over convicted rapist Lance Corporal Daniel Smith should be transferred from US to Philippine authorities and ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to negotiate the move.

While affirming the constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that governs the military exercises between the two countries, the high court said the subsequent accord which Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney signed and which granted the US custody over Smith was “in violation of the VFA.”

Tag: VFA

Aquino’s deafening silence on the killing of Jennifer Laude

U.S. custody of Pemberton denigrates PH sovereignty

Daniel Smith acquitted

SC orders Smith placed under RP custody