By Ella Dionisio

The deportation process for convicted US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton has begun after the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has turned over his custody to the Bureau of Immigration.

According to BuCor, Pemberton was formally transferred to immigration around 11:50 am. He will remain at the Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG) detention facility inside Camp Aguinaldo.

He will now be guarded by personnel from the Immigration Intelligence Division.

In a radio interview earlier, Melvin Mabulac, acting Immigration spokesperson, said aside from a court release, a green light from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is needed to ensure he is not facing other charges.

“And on the part of Pemberton, they should be able to present flight itinerary and travel documents,” Mabulac said.

“Once everything is completed, that’s the time that we will bring Pemberton to the airport for his flight schedule to make sure that he will leave the country and will follow the deportation order,” he added.

Mabulac said there is a pending deportation order for Pemberton since September 2015.

“We were not able to deport him because of his criminal case… now he was given a pardon, there is no obstacle to implement the deportation order,” he said.

Mabulac clarified that Pemberton’s deportation order is not included when President Rodrigo Duterte gave him a pardon as it is an administrative case filed against him.

Mabulac said once deported, Pemberton will be included in the country’s blacklist and will not be able to return.

Pemberton’s lawyer, Rowena Flores, said he will be using a military aircraft in going back to the United States.

“What I know is he will stay in Guam or Hawaii for the meantime to fix his documents,” Flores said in a radio interview.

She said Pemberton is drafting his letter of apology to the family of Jennifer Laude, the one he killed in Olongapo in 2014.

Flores clarified that the P4 million compensation Pemberton will pay for Laude's family came from his salary while in detention.

“He is really sorry for what he did… I want to give him advice but he wants his own personal words (for his apology letter),” she said.

Flores said Pemberton is very grateful to Duterte for granting him pardon.

She said they are still waiting for the result of Pemberton’s swab test and his NBI clearance before he can leave the country.

Last September 7, Duterte granted absolute pardon to Pemberton considering his good behavior while serving over half of his 10-year sentence for homicide. DMS