BINATIKOS ni Senador Leila De Lima ang Olongapo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 74 sa panghihimasok sa kapangyarihan ng Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) sa pagpapalaya sa convicted
murderer na si former US marine Scott Pemberton sa pamamagitan ng Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA).

Sa pahayag, sinabi ni De Lima na matapos ang sirkong nangyari hinggil sa kontrobersiyal na GCTA, pinayagan ni Presiding Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde na palayain si Pemberton na pumatay kay
transgender Jennifer Laude.

“Sa kabila ng bigat ng krimen na ginawa niya, parang napakadali para sa korte na palayain siya nang maaga,” giit ni De Lima.

Sa kanilang  Motion for Reconsideration, kinuwestiyon ng Laude family ang ginawang pagtutuos sa GCTA ni Pemberton dahil hindi ito nakulong sa New Bilibid Prison – kaya paano siya makalalaya sa ilalim ng batas kung walang kahit katiting na pruweba na maganda ang kanyang pag-uugali at lumahok sa rehabilitasyon habang nakakulong.

“First of all, what is the jurisdiction of the Olongapo RTC in ordering the Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections to release Pemberton? Once the Court has rendered judgement and the judgement becomes final, it ceases to have jurisdiction over the case,” giit ni De Lima, dating justice secretary.

Sinabi ni De Lima na may finality na ang kaso ni Pemberton kaya wala nang jurisdiction ang Olongapo RTC sa kaso o kahit sa mismong convict.

“Even granting for the sake of argument that Pemberton qualifies for GCTA, the proper course of action would have been to file a petition for habeas corpus. The Olongapo RTC cannot grant a writ of habeas corpus to release Pemberton because he is incarcerated outside the court’s territorial jurisdiction.

The burden is on Pemberton’s camp to show that the requirements and procedure in granting GCTA were duly observed. The computation and grant of GCTA is neither ministerial nor perfunctory.

It follows a strict process outlined by law and is only restricted to persons duly determined to be qualified. Under R.A. No. 10592, it is the BuCor Director, BJMP Chief or Local Warden who grants GCTA upon recommendation by the Management Screening and Evaluation Committee (MSEC), not the trial courts,” paliwanag ni De Lima. (ESTONG REYES)