Equal protection of the law is fundamental in the countrys Constitution. I incurred the ire of the citizenry, including some of my fellow columnists in theInquirer,for my defense of Hubert. It would be a serious miscarriage of justice and a demonstration of inequality before the law should jurisprudence not be applied equally. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I would not have ended up like this if you had not neglected me). [17], On January 6, 2000, Judge Tolentino rendered her decision, finding Hubert Webb, Peter Estrada, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Antonio Lejano II and Miguel Rodriguez guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape with homicide. At the end of February, the Bureau of Fire Protection held a parade featuring some of its trucks and equipment as well as new regular personnel: women firefighters. Former Paraaque City cop Gerardo Biong walked free from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving a 12-year sentence. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. [139] Against positive evidence, alibi becomes most unsatisfactory. Unreliability of Jessica Alfaro's testimony: Alfaro had prior knowledge on the facts of the case having been an, Alfaro was not able to explain why the house was ransacked if robbery was not the motive of Webb and his group, Unreliability of testimony from other witnesses, Alfaro's testimony will fall apart if Webb was not at the crime scene and will relieve the others accused of the crime. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. But the grieving father couldn't distinguish the truth from the lies. It took the trial and appeal process in this case fifteen years. . It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. The term dirty politics is appropriate for that kind of set-up. 187745. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. 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! [60] Mario, a hair stylist during the period June 1991, testified that Webb, along with Tony Boy Lejano and Dong Ventura had their haircut. You are just a few clicks away from making There was only one vital witness for the prosecution, Freddie Alejo. De Lima said it was possible that it was Black Maria who was in the Vizconde home and not Jessica Alfaro, the NBI's star witness during the trial. ), Moreover, Judge Tolentino also denied Webb's request to subject semen samples to DNA testing on the belief that the samples may no longer be intact. About the Show; You May Also Like . Webb presented certifications from the U.S. Immigration but he failed to submit as evidence in court the original copy of his passport with immigration entry stamped on it. Even if we were denied justice, I consoled them that at least people already know what really happened, he said. But Villaramas opinion was not considered by the SC in their majority decision. She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. InVizconde case: Jessica Alfaros positive identification was rejected because she did not meet the test of a credible witness and that what she personally saw must be believable, not inherently contrived. 16:53. Conjectures and suspicions are not facts, hence, they have no evidentiary value. All of us who have cases in court, dont we realize that if your opponent has money, brace yourself. As to the failure to present the forensic evidence and its subsequent loss, the SC held: the semen specimen taken from Carmela cannot possibly lie. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. 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. The SC also held that it was possible for Alfaro to know the details about the Vizconde killings because she had prior access to the details that the investigators knew of the case. [13][14], Other prosecution witnesses were: Carlos J. Cristobal who alleged that on March 9, 1991, he was a passenger of United Airlines Flight No. The SC required this test as necessary before a testimony of positive identification could be accepted as credible and with merit. Nos. [10] According to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify all the defendants by their names. For example, the prosecutor, instead of admitting Alejo to the WPP during trial, rather chose instead to allow the Abadillas, who had an interest in Alejos testimony, to make him dependent on them for his livelihood at least for the duration of the trial of the case. Hubert and his co-accused were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court for the crime on June 6, 2000. 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. due to "overwhelming evidence that showed Webb and the other accused had conspired to rape Carmela and, in the process, kill her and the rest of the family." But to Judge Amelita Tolentino of the Paranaque Regional Trial Court, the truth was the account of star witness Jessica Alfaro. InAbadilla case: The SC affirmed the CAs judgement as inconclusive the use of forensic evidence, for example, the fingerprints and ballistic test results, showing that none of the five accused had their fingerprints match to those extracted from the murder victims car. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. Forensic evidence: In Vizconde case it cannot lie, in Abadilla case it is inconclusive. Knowing this, I cannot but hesitate to swallow everything that Alejo said at the trial. 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. She also testified that Biong received money at a house that she later learned belonged to then Paraaque Congressman Freddie Webb; the Webb family's maids, Mila Gaviola and Nerissa Rosales, who both testified that Hubert Webb was at home on June 30, 1991. This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. 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). 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. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. [29] LYN RILLON. [29], For the alibi to be established "the accused must prove by positive, clear, and satisfactory evidence that he was present at another place at the time of the perpetration of the crime, and that it was physically impossible for him to be at the scene of the crime". Indeed, her superior testified that she volunteered to play the role of a witness in the Vizconde killings when she could not produce a man she promised to the NBI. 1. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. June 14, 1993 - Vizconde Massacre solved; 'brains,' three others fall Police finish investigation of the Vizconde case with the arrest of the suspected mastermind and three other suspects,. People cried for justice for the Vizcondes and one of the suspects was Hubert Webb, son of then Paraaque congressman Freddie Webb, who later became a senator. We have ruled that accused-appellant may not invoke the acquittal of the other conspirators to merit the reversal of his conviction for murder. Envy aliens who can avoid PH; pity Pinoys who are stuck here. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. [2][3] Estrellita Vizconde, 49, suffered thirteen stab wounds; Carmela Vizconde, 19, suffered seventeen stab wounds and had been raped before she was killed; and Anne Marie Jennifer, 6, had nineteen stab wounds. 1. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. I stand by my story. No acquittal has been made as to the two accused, Filart and Ventura, who remain at-large. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. Lauro Vizconde the husband of Estrellita and father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United State on business when the murders took place. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. At any rate, Rameses de Jesus admitted that they were using the new car of Lenido Lumanog. The court said that Alfaro was not a credible witness and that her "story of what she personally saw must be believable, not inherently contrived". The DoJ also placed Alfaro under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) during the trial period. The Vizconde Massacre. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Jennifer woke up and, seeing Webb violating her sister, jumped on him and bit him. Those initially jailed for. The Vizconde murders remained unsolved for almost four years, until 1995 when eyewitness Jessica Alfaro, a self-confessed drug addict, came forward on April 28, 1995, to shed light on the massacre. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. Vizconde massacre. He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders. [47], On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come forward accusing Hubert Webb and others of allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case. The Truth about Mendiola Massacre - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. The jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. Rodolfo Sison, the police investigator originally assigned to the case in 1991. The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. 185123/G.R. No. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. Alfaro implicated the children of wealthy and prominent families, including Hubert Webb, Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Vffrillaret and Artemio Ventura. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations Indeed, the testimony of a single witness, when positive and credible, is sufficient to support a conviction even for murder. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. 124871, May 13, 2004. In the said stockroom, there is a small door going to Hubert's room and in that door there is a small opening where she used to see Hubert and his friends sniffing on something. The men were released on Dec. 14 last year, after the Supreme Court dismissed the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro against Webb. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. 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. [2] Alfaro said that policeman Gerardo Biong "was instructed by Webb, in my presence, to take care of the house where the incident happened". 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. The SC acquitted all the accused, reversing and dismissing the guilty verdict of the RTC and the CA. ABADILLA MURDER CASE: This case is about the murder of Rolando Abadilla, a police colonel during Marcos regime, at 8:30 on June 13, 1996 at the Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. [3], The Inter-Agency Task Force assigned to reinvestigate Vizconde massacre case formed 6 teams or 3 parallel teams to look into 3 sets of suspects linked to the murders. 121234 Hubert Webb et al. Secondly, Alfaros quality as a witness and her inconsistent, if not inherently unbelievable, testimony cannot be the positive identification that jurisprudence acknowledges as sufficient. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. Similar to the Vizconde case, the five accused made a defence of alibi claiming that they were somewhere else on June 13, 1996 when the murder of Abadilla happened. Alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification of a credible witness [140].. The AHRC urges the SC to thoroughly review the pending final appeal of the accused in the Abadilla case. 5. Tel: +(852) 2698 6339 Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. Published July 4, 2011 7:24pm. Eh di sana may sweldo ako. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. The case remained unsolved for almost four years until eyewitness, Jessica Alfaro Testified that Hubert Webb is the lead suspect and responsible of the crime committed. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. When she could not produce the person, Sacaguing continued to press her saying that she might as well assume the role of her informant.. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. 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. Policewoman Diaz even insulted Allan, saying he had no right to file the attempted rape complaint on behalf of the girl, because he was only the stepfather. No. starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. I will kill you, brandishing a shiny revolver. But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. The story of the Vizconde Massacre wasn't just a single story; it varied as told by a number of witnesses. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. Webb had presented the alibi that he was in the United States when the crime was committed, but he was still found guilty by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. 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. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. Copyright 2023. The lead suspect was Hubert Webb whose father, Freddie Webb was famous as an actor, former basketball player, and Paraaque congressman at the time of the murders. As a host of the program that carries my surname, I and my all-female staff have handled complaints from citizens, concerning abusive or arrogant policemen and other government functionaries. Aug 5, 2008. Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. 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. [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. [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. MANILA, Philippines - Six new witnesses reveal Hubert Webb, son of former Senator Freddie Webb, was in the Philippines when the Vizconde massacre took place on June 1991. Vizconde said his quest for justice was continuing despite the end of the prescription period for the prosecution of his familys killers. The massacre and surrounding events were depicted in the 1993 film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) Pitong, an electrician who since 1982, already knew the Webb family claimed he saw a laundry woman wash a bloodied T-shirt on the morning of the crime. [23] On November 26, 2010, Lauro Vizconde voiced his concern to media about the purported lobbying of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for the reversal of the guilty verdict. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. Please try again. For example, I was the first one to report the shooting of 16-year-old Maureen Hultman and her boyfriend by the son of former chief justice Claudio Teehankee in 1991 in my column at theInquirer, because the girls stepfather, Anders, a Swede, came to myIsumbongoffice at Radyo Veritas. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. Kaya laban lang tayo. Allan (surname intentionally omitted), stepfather of a 16-year-old girl who was nearly raped by a neighbor, went with his daughter to the police station in San Jose, Batangas recently to file a complaint. Lorenzo delos Santos was acquitted due to lack of evidence, but the RTC, the CA and the SC ignored that fact that the same positive identification it invoked in convicting the Abadilla Five came from exactly the same testimonies that have been used to acquit Delos Santos. I stood my ground because I had all the facts in my hand. Massacre era. She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. [2] Tolentino said the certificates issued by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Philippine Bureau of Immigration "could have easily been obtained by the powerful Webb family". 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. It was Alejo who had positively identified Joel and Lorenzo (delos Santos) during a police line-up. 808 bound for New York and who expressed doubt on whether Hubert Webb was his co-passenger in the trip; NBI medico-legal Dr. Prospero Cabanayan, Belen Dometita and Teofilo Minoza, two of the Vizconde maids; and Manciano Gatmaitan, an engineer. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. Hence, it was not physically impossible for them to travel to Quezon City via the North Expressway at the time the crime took place; On Augusto Santos, the corroboration of his brother-in-law, Jonas Padel Ayhon, that he was at the Jose Fabella Hospital when the crime happened, the CA rejected his corroboration because he was not an impartial witness and ruled that where nothing supports the alibi than the testimony of a relative, it deserves scant consideration. Herbas had testified for the defence instead of the prosecution when the Abadilla did not fulfil his promise to give him (Herbas) exactly the same salary he was receiving and when he was told that he would no longer be presented as witness because the testimony of Alejo would be sufficient. The politician would only be allowed by the spouse to run if the party that this politician will join can come up with a big amount for their family. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. Alfaro claimed that Hubert was angry at Carmela thus raping and murdering her, her younger sister and her mother, to supposedly revenge her unfaithfulness to him. The lower courts, however, reasoned that "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him." The Vizconde murder case, colloquially known as the Vizconde massacre, was the multiple homicide of members of the Vizconde family on June 30, 1991 at their residence at 80 Vinzons Street, BF Homes, Paraaque, Metro Manila, Philippines.Estrellita Vizconde, 49, suffered thirteen stab wounds; Maria Carmela Vizconde, 19, suffered seventeen stab wounds and had been raped before she was killed . This was how Lauro Vizcondes relatives summed it up on Thursday night after a Mass marking the 20th anniversary of the death of his wife Estrellita and daughters Carmela and Jennifer. Justice Villarama argued that a photocopy of Webbs passport in court to support his alibi and the testimonies of witnesses, mostly his relatives and friends, could not be given merit, by cautioning his fellow justices that it can be gleaned from the fact that passports and plane tickets indicating dates of arrival and departure do not necessarily prove that the very same person actually took the flight and added that indeed, alibi cannot be sustained where it is not only without credible corroboration, but also where it does not, on its face, demonstrate the physical impossibility of the accuseds presence at the place and time of the commission of the crime. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. She did not know nor met any of them. The court also said that if Webb was in the U.S. when the crime was committed, the Alfaro's testimony would not hold together: "Without it, the evidence against the others must necessarily fall. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". The 3 sets of suspects are: the Barroso Akyat-Bahay gang; the group of construction workers with engineer Danilo Agwas tagged as mastermind; SPO3 Angel Viaje, PO3 Rodolfo Colado, Ruben Pineda; and, the group of Hubert Webb. In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . 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. The CA in effect crafted and formulated the conjectures giving them the appreciation similar to facts offered as evidence where it had based the judgment. No. May I invite you to watch?). Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde. For example, it rejected as not impartial the corroborating testimony of Augusto Santoss brother-in-law that he was at the hospital with him when Abadilla was murdered. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. But both the RTC and the CA rejected his defence ruling that his alibi cannot stand against Alfaros positive identification of him as the rapist and killer. Three days after that, he was allegedly approached by Mrs. Webb who reportedly told him, You did not see anything. A week after, Sen. Freddie Webb allegedly told him, You did not see anything. It cautioned itself from accepting the testimonies of witnesses without applying these tests. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. Acting solely on Alfaros testimony, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed charges of rape with homicide against the eight accused on August 1995. Both Webb and del Toro could not describe in court what Hubert's work was, Tolentino said. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. Firstly, like Alfaro, Alejo also received money and free accommodation from the persons who had interest in his testimony. They are Lenido Lumanog, Augusto Santos, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Cesar Fortuna, Rameses de Jesus and Joel de Jesus. De Lima said they could still go after Filart and Ventura, as well as the Villadolid brothers, since the prescriptive period of 20 years for homicide does not apply to them because they were abroad. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Massacre case in 1991 Webb was accused of raping Carmela Vizconde, 18, who was killed in her family's Paraaque home on June 30, 1991. Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. It defended the attack on Alejos credibility, for example, his inconsistencies on the number of gunmen, arguing that this had already been explained by Alejo during cross-examination by correcting his earlier statement and that the affidavits, being ex-parte, are almost always incomplete and often inaccurate, but do not really detract from the credibility of witnesses. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. This coincided with his passport and Philippine Immigration records but were dismissed by Tolentino due to belief that these documents can possibly be falsified. 150 likes. Corona." Shades of what happened in the 2004 elections, when a national official was paid a huge sum to run under a political party. Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. Only minor cases, like oral defamation and quarrel between neighbors, are handled by the barangay. Alfaro said Estrellita was killed before Webb began to rape Carmela. Hello friends! "[29], The court maintained that for a person to be convicted there should not be "a reasonable, lingering doubt as to his guilt." Alfaro, who had "practically lived" at the NBI's offices, would have been able to hear about the details, and gain access to the documents, without difficulty. And while justice seems elusive, life must go on, Vizcondes grandniece Katherine Asuncion said, reading from a family statement. 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. LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde
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