The Filipino people were shocked and enraged with Rodrigo Duterte’s decision granting Joseph Scott Pemberton, a US soldier found guilty of murdering transgender Jennifer Laude in 2015, absolute pardon last September 6. Pemberton has only served half of his 10-year sentence.

In a statement on September 7, the Communist Party of the Philippines said that Duterte displayed outright subservience to the US government and military, and called the act an injustice to the Laude family and treachery to the Filipino people.

Before pardoning Pemberton, at least 10 criminal cases involving US troops under the Visiting Forces Agreement were recorded in the Philippines. Excluding a rape case in 2005, all other cases have not reached the reactionary courts.