The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. At about 4 a.m. on June 30, 1991, Gaviola woke up and entered the bedrooms to get the Webb's dirty laundry and wash it as part of her job. Webb wanted Alfaro, the then-girlfriend of one of the accused men, Peter Estrada, to join them because Estrellita Vizconde only allowed her daughter to go out and entertain female visitors. [19], The Court of Appeals' Third Division voted 32 to deny Webb's motion for reconsideration and upheld the ruling of Judge Tolentino on December 16, 2005. De Lima said the evidence that showed Webb and any of the co-accused were in the country came from the magnetic reel tape (MRT) of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) where all records of incoming and outgoing passengers from the Philippines are recorded. Among those present were former Vice President Teofisto Guingona; Arsenio Boy Evangelista, father of carjack victim Venson Evangelista; Dacer-Corbito witness Cezar Mancao and his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio; and members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC). I got my style of writing when I was a reporter, news writer and newsreader on radio during the pre-martial law era, and as a deskman and feature writer of the Philippines News Agency (PNA). "I doubt that at this time, physical evidence will be available because a lapse of time has taken place, but that's the only way we can find the true killers." Run after Alfaro Yes, but what can I do (?). This site uses cookies. No. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. Lejano and Ventura also took turns raping Carmela, before finishing her off with numerous stabs. Am I dismayed by the decision of the (Supreme Court)? But Villaramas opinion was not considered by the SC in their majority decision. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said the government task force re-investigating the 1991 Vizconde massacre case has found another witness and was convincing him to come out in public and [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. [49], On January 4, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said suspect Joey Filart was spotted in the United States. [29] Biong walks free, insists he's innocent | ABS-CBN News (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. Their original conviction was capital punishment but their sentence was modified to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished. Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. The trial began in August 1995 before Paraaque RTC Judge Amelita Tolentino. God does not teach us to retaliate. InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. The Murder of an Entire Family While Dad Was Abroad for Work Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. Seven justices based its decision on the following points: Webb, citing Brady v. Maryland, said "that he is entitled to outright acquittal on the ground of violation of his right to due process given the States failure to produce on order of the Court either by negligence or willful suppression the semen specimen taken from Carmela." The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. She did not know nor met any of them. The fight is not over. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. InVizconde case: The majority of the justices strongly argued against relying on conjectures on deciding the case, particularly on the claim that Hubert Jeffrey could have been in the Philippines, and not in the U.S., when the crime happened. It took the trial and appeal process in this case fifteen years. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. White, on the other hand, said he saw the three cars enter the subdivision on the night of June 29, as Alfaro had testified; White also testified that policeman Gerardo Biong was the first to arrive at the crime scene. The film claims to have been based on new evidence from the then-ongoing trial. (P.S. In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . Asuncion, 27, was a constant playmate of Jennifer Vizconde, who was 7 years old when she was killed. [6][7][8] The suspects said they were tortured and forced to confess to the crime before they were presented by Filart to the media. Evid. The CA held that these ballistic results are inconclusive and can never prevail over appellants positive identification by eyewitness Freddie Alejo. Webbs son, Hubert Jeffrey, is also the brother of a television host, Pinky, in one of the largest television networks in the country. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. It was also not true that there was no showing that he (Alejo) was actuated by improper motive to testify falsely against the accused because the defence had since been challenging his credibility during the trial. Former NBI official Pedro Rivera however dismissed as lies the testimony of Sacaguing saying that Agent Sacaguing had a record of notoriety in the NBI which prompted his transfer to remote places of assignment until his early retirement. Cabanacan said Webb had entered the subdivision (where the Vizconde house was located) a few days before the massacre and that he even identified himself as the son of then Congressman Webb. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road Webb's reliance on the presumption of regularity of official functions, stressing the fact that the US-INS certifications are official documents, is misplaced. I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. Suspicions, no matter how strong they are, must never sway judgment. 24, Rule 134, R. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. [57] The witnesses include an electrician, a drug dealer, a couple of neighborhood basketball players, a hairdresser and a village security guard. Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. The defense questioned Alfaro's credibility noting that she admitted to being under the influence of drugs when she allegedly witnessed the crime and had made inconsistent statements on her two affidavits. September 7, 2010http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm The SC did not apply the two tests it invoked on the Vizconde case before accepting the positive identification of Alejo as credible, and him as a credible witness. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. It is that simple. ), Among evidence that was not admitted by Judge Tolentino, was the note verbale from the United States Embassy in Manila claiming that Webb entered the United States in March 1991 and left in October 1992. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. 127262 Hubert Webb, et al. Massacre era. Sison was ordered to desist from further investigating that angle by then Philippine National Police Capital Region Commander Marino Filart after six members of akyat bahay gang (burglars) were arrested by Regional Police Unit in October 1991. He also ordered the Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima to study the possibility of giving compensation to Webb and others. It was Alejo who had positively identified Joel and Lorenzo (delos Santos) during a police line-up. On the contrary, it reopens it. He adds, this Court takes judicial notice of reported irregularities and tampering of passports in the years prior to the recent issuance by the Department of Foreign Affairs(DFA) of machine-readable passports. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm You will regret it.[58][59] Jack, a village security guard who kept records of the village where Webb lived said he saw Hubert Webb during the time of the massacre. The DoJ also placed Alfaro under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) during the trial period. 5. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. VIZCONDE MASSACRE CASE: This case is about the gang rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman, the murder of her 7-year-old sister and their mother on June 30, 1991 at their home in Paranaque City, Metro Manila. LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde On June 30, 1991, three Vizconde women Estrellita, 49; her 19-year-old daughter, Carmela and the younger Jennifer, 6 were found dead in their home at BF Homes Village in Paraaque. Call 896 6000. Hubert Jeffrey Webb sought for an acquittal after he had found out that the NBI could no longer produce the DNA specimen extracted from the cadaver of the rape victim. 2. I got involved in the case after Webb told me Hubert, whose name was slowly cropping up in news reports as a prime suspect, was in the United States when the dastardly crime happened. ", Jessica Alfaro: Alfaro's e-mail from abroad read. 3. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. "[29], The court maintained that for a person to be convicted there should not be "a reasonable, lingering doubt as to his guilt." With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. The Villadolid brothers were mentioned by a certain Rhoda Pujanes alias Dang, who claimed she overheard Villadolid and his friends, including Miguel Rodriguez and Michael Gatchalian (both co-accused of Webb), talking about the massacre during a pot session in 1991. Early Thursday, Lauro Vizconde went to Holy Cross Memorial Park and laid bouquets of roses on the tombs of his wife and daughters. The lower courts, however, reasoned that "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him." Sources from the Department of Justice said Webb, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court last December, 2010, was in the country during and after the crime happened in . The Vizconde massacre, dubbed the crime of the 20th century, was my defining moment as a columnist and defender of the oppressed and those wrongfully accused. Vizconde marks 20th year of murders: Time to move on Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. It held that a positive declaration from a witness that he saw the accused commit the crime should not automatically cancel out the accuseds claim that he did not do it. New Vizconde massacre witness found | Inquirer News So how can such accused penetrate a mind that has been made cynical by the rule drilled into his head that a defense of alibi is a hangmans noose in the face of a witness positively swearing. 3. [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. Corona." Lauro Vizconde: "Is there still anyone among you who doubts that there is rampant corruption in our government? G.R. One of the important pieces of evidence, which I presented to the court later, was the copy of an invoice issued to Hubert Webb on coincidence of coincidences! I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. 'Ms. VIZCONDE MASSACRE: 20 YEARS, TWO FACES OF JUSTICE Report by Maki Pulido It is one of the most controversial cases in the country's history, the most shocking crime in the 90s - the Vizconde Massacre. The trial of the case having been long concluded, the requirements of the law may have been satisfied, but not the demands of justice. starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. Former Paraaque City cop Gerardo Biong walked free from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving a 12-year sentence. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. The SC acquitted all the accused, reversing and dismissing the guilty verdict of the RTC and the CA. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II May The Lord Be With Us, was released in 1994 and starred Vina Morales as Carmela and Joko Daz as an assailant. Villarama noted that the alleged Passport, Passenger Manifest of United Airlines Flight and United Airline ticket of accused Webb offered in evidence were mere photocopies of an alleged original, which were never presented. The Visconde Massacre Case - Filipino Journal On Vizconde Massacre, Hubert Webb and the Quest for True Justice (1st White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. It is hard to believe this there is a record of supposed arrival from other country but no record of departure in 1991 or in any month of 1991, she said. Under the law, prosecutors of a murder case are given 20 years from the time it occurred or the time it was discovered to identify suspects and charge them in court. Conjectures and suspicions are not facts, hence, they have no evidentiary value. Hello friends! [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. [65] One team uncovered Black Maria, a woman whom one witness said had told him she was with Webb's group inside the Vizconde home and saw the crime take place. In open court, he already said there were six, not four assailants; that it was two other gunmen, not one of the four present close to the car who pointed the gun at him; and he was not nervous but rather had the opportunity to see the faces of all the assailants facing him all at the same time. Alfaro accused Hubert Webb, son of former senator Freddie Webb, as the mastermind of the massacre, along with five other men, all coming from prominent families. On June 30, 1991, 47-year-old housewife Estrellita Vizconde and daughters Carmela, 18, and Jennifer, 7, were found dead in their residence in BF Homes in Paraaque. [2] Lauro Vizconde, Estrellita's husband and the father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United States on business when the murders took place. MANILA, Philippines - A former policeman who was jailed for allegedly tampering with evidence in the 1991 Vizconde massacre insists he is innocent of any crime after being released from prison Tuesday. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw the attention of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines to its recent decision on two well-known cases tried in the lower courts; the conviction in the Vizconde Massacre case was overturned while that of the Abadilla murder case was affirmed. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! 'Hubert Webb was in PH during Vizconde massacre' - ABS-CBN News It strictly laid down these as the least requirement in evaluating the credibility of the claim of positive identification. Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. Several jeepney drivers groups have called for an unprecedented one-week strike next week to demand extension of the deadline for phasing out traditional vehicles and replacing them with modern It will take over 200 years for women to be at par with men, a news report from Davos said. Democrito Barcenas, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City president and regional coordinator of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG): I think that most of the justices are right in their decision. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses.
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