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The camp of the slain transgender Jennifer Laude denied the allegation that they are demanding PHP38 million and six US visas in exchange for dropping the murder case against US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton.
Speaking to radio dzMM, Atty. Harry Roque, a lawyer of the Laude family, said it is too late for his client to seek a settlement because the case is already submitted for resolution.
“Imposible po ‘yang prosesong ‘yan dahil ito pong murder hindi po gaya ito ng rape nung kaso ni Nicole na kahit kailan ay pwede naman talagang magkaroon ng aregluhan (That’s impossible with a murder case. It’s not a rape case like Nicole’s where a settlement is possible),” Roque said.
The lawyer was referring to the rape case in 2005 filed by “Nicole” against US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith. Despite the guilty verdict of the Makati Regional Trial Court, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision after Nicole recanted her testimony. In her affidavit, the Filipina claimed that she was no longer sure if Smith raped her, suggesting that she might have welcomed the American’s sexual advances. Nicole accepted PHP100,00 from Smith and is now living in the US.
Roque was reacting to a newspaper report quoting defense counsel Rowena Flores who said she got the information from a reliable source.
Flores added that the new amount is separate from the PHP200 million being asked by the Laude family through another lawyer Virgie Suarez.
Roque clarified that the PHP200 million is not settlement money but the civil damages that the Laude family is asking in case of a conviction.
“Ang nais po namin ay mabayaran ito ni Pemberton matapos na mapatunayan na siya ay nagkasala pero hindi po ito settlement (We want Pemberton to pay up after he is proven guilty, but it is not a settlement),” the lawyer added.
The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 under Judge Roline Ginez Jabalde is expected to release its verdict by Sep 14.
Text: Erik Tenedero, ABS-CBNnews.com
Photo: News clip
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
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