(Eagle News)– The Bureau of Immigration will deport US Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton even if he was granted an absolute pardon by President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said he already asked Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) Director Gerald Bantag to turn Pemberton over to the bureau the moment he is released from prison so that the deportation order against him could be implemented.
The order was issued by the board of commissioners on Sept. 16, 2015 after it found Pemberton was an undesirable alien.
The BI chief said that it has always been standard operating procedure for the BuCor to turn over to the bureau alien convicts who have finished serving their prison sentences so they could be deported or sent back to their country of origin.
He said with the grant of absolute pardon to Pemberton, there was no more legal impediment or obstacle to Pemberton’s departure from the Philippines.
“At any rate, we are awaiting instructions from our Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra for guidance on how we will implement the deportation order in a manner that is within the prescribed laws of the country” he added.
Lawyer Arvin Santos, bureau Legal Division chief, said aliens who are up for deportation are required to submit clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation and regional trial court as proof that they have no more pending criminal or civil cases.
Santos said that once these requirements are submitted, the bureau will arrange and schedule the deportee’s flight.
He said deportees are usually escorted to the airport by bureau intelligence agents and civil security personnel who would turn him over to the airline concerned before he boards the aircraft.
Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte announced he had granted the absolute pardon to Pemberton, who he said was unfairly treated.
He said that Pemberton should have been presumed to have exhibited good moral character while imprisoned since authorities did not send any negative reports about him.