MANILA, Philippines — A local court in Olongapo Cityy issued Tuesday a warrant for the arrest of US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton, accused in the killing of Filipino transgender Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude.
The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 issued the warrant of arrest a day after state prosecutors filed a murder case against Pemberton.
Pemberton is currently under custody of the United States (US) government and held at the Mutual Defense Board facility inside the Armed Forces of the Philippines headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.
Laude was found dead in a motel room in Olongapo City on October 11. Pemberton, meanwhile, was identified as a possible suspect in the killing a few days later.
On Monday, Prosecutor Emilie de los Santos said there was "probable cause" that Pemberton, who has been detained since shortly after the October incident, killed Laude.
"It's murder," De los Santos told reporters Monday after the filing of the case against the 19-year-old Pemberton at the local court. "It was aggravated by treachery, abuse of superior strength and cruelty."
Among the evidence submitted by De los Santos and the other prosecutors were statements by Pemberton's three Marine colleagues who went bar-hopping with him on October 11 in the city, a former liberty town when the US Navy was at the vast Subic Naval base, now a bustling commercial Freeport and recreation hub.
Pemberton and some of his colleagues later picked up women at a disco bar and separately checked in at nearby motels, then returned to their ship after midnight.
Witnesses saw Pemberton check in with Laude at a motel room, where he was seen leaving shortly before the discovery of the killing, prosecutors said in their statement to the court.
"I think I killed a he/she," Pemberton was quoted as having told Marine Lance Corporal Jairn Michael Rose, who went out with Pemberton that night.
Rose acknowledged that the suspect later confided back at their ship that he attacked the victim after discovering he was a transgender woman, prosecutors noted.
The new details are likely to spark renewed condemnation by left-wing and transgender groups.
The case sparked renewed protests against the Visiting Forces Agreement which allows US custody over American military personnel accused of crimes in the Philippines. - with Associated Press