He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo! Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. Your subscription could not be saved. The fight is not over. Among the defense witnesses was Artemio Sacaguing, a former, now deceased NBI official who testified that Alfaro was an NBI asset who only volunteered to assume the role of the eyewitness when she could not produce the actual witness to the Vizconde killings. The massacre and surrounding events were depicted in the 1993 film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) Lauro Vizconde: "Is there still anyone among you who doubts that there is rampant corruption in our government? The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him. The RTC, however, acquitted Delos Santos despite being positively identified also by Alejo as one of those who was present at the crime scene. Webb's testimony was also contradicted by other US-based defense witnesses who said they usually saw him "going to the beach, malling, bar-hopping or playing basketball. 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. 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. The public and the media continue to watch as the years go by . While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. Evid. No. Hong Kong 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. [18], In her decision, Tolentino described the testimony of defense witnesses as full of inconsistencies and biased. Webbs co-accused, Antonio Lejano, is a son of a known singer and celebrity. Police assets are often criminals themselves. No. This has resulted in the revelation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that they no longer had the specimens as these were remanded to the Paraaque courts. On SPO2 Cesar Fortuna, the RTC, the CA and the SC, accepted the fact that he was at Camp Crame, but the SC affirmed the RTC and the CAs conjecture that it was not impossible for him to have gone to Katipunan road, Blue Ridge, which is relatively near Camp Crame when the shooting happened around 8.40 in the morning. 185123/G.R. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. 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. Indeed, the testimony of a single witness, when positive and credible, is sufficient to support a conviction even for murder. 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 court considered the accused's "lack of interest in having such test done" in which they concluded that the state "cannot be deemed put on reasonable notice that it would be required to produce the semen specimen at some future time".[29]. The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Vizconde is clinging to the hope that even if this period ended Thursday, more concerned citizens will approach the National Bureau of Investigation to corroborate claims made by new witnesses that Webb was seen in BF Homes, Paraaque City, at the time of the murders. Many of the stories in my columns in previous newspapers were complaints from citizens. 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. The Vizconde Massacre. 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 . [29], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". 182555/G.R. 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. [165] The discrepancies between a sworn statement and testimony in court do not outrightly justify the acquittal of an accused,[166] as testimonial evidence carries more weight than an affidavit. Movie producers and directors rode the wave of public outcry by creating true-to-life films based on such heinous crimes. The President has time and again said that he was very tired of running the country and, if he had his way, would have stepped down. 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. [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. 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. I stood my ground because I had all the facts in my hand. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth. But her parents did not allow her to go. 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. The CA held that these ballistic results are inconclusive and can never prevail over appellants positive identification by eyewitness Freddie Alejo. [12] On July 24, 1997, the Supreme Court noted that Tolentino erred when she refused to admit the 132 pieces of evidence presented by the defense, although these were later admitted in court through an order issued by Tolentino.[12][16]. True Crime. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. I incurred the ire of the citizenry, including some of my fellow columnists in theInquirer,for my defense of Hubert. 3. Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. The ballistic test results also did not match to any of the firearms supposedly taken from the accused to the empty shells that were recovered at the crime scene. [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. When we die, that is when we will be given the whole truth May the Lord console you in all your afflictions, The priest said. Call 896 6000. [139] Against positive evidence, alibi becomes most unsatisfactory. Forensic evidence: In Vizconde case it cannot lie, in Abadilla case it is inconclusive. She cited the testimony of Alex del Toro, husband of Webb's relative, who said he hired Hubert Webb as an employee at his pesticide company in California. X' key to real perpetrators of Vizconde murders? Welcome to my maiden column in TheSTAR, now the countrys No. On April 28, 1995, National Bureau of Investigations asset and self-confessed drug user Jessica Alfaro came forward to police authorities to shed light on the killing of the Vizconde family. He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. 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 Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. In this case, the existence of an earlier negative report on the NIIS record on file concerning the entry of appellant Webb into and his exit from the US on March 9, 1991, and October 26, 1992, respectively, had raised serious doubt on the veracity and accuracy of the subsequently issued second certification dated August 31, 1995 which is based merely on a computer print-out of his alleged entry on March 9, 1991, and departure on October 26, 1992. Vizconde massacre. vs. People of the Philippines et al., 1997, G.R. InVizconde case: The SC applied two tests in rejecting the positive identification of Alfaro: firstly, the credibility of a witness; secondly, the testimony should be believable, not inherently contrived. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. 150 likes. 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. Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. The SC, however, held that by failing to prove the existence of a relationship between Hubert and Carmela; and that the lover that Alfaro claimed that Carmela had met did not come forward in public or in court, her testimonies about the accused and the victims were like a piece of jigsaw puzzle trimmed to fit into the shape on the board but does not belong because it clashes with the surrounding pieces and the lover was a mere ghost of the imagination of Alfaro, the woman who made a living informing on criminals. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. 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. InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. Di naman ako puwede magtrabaho don (If that's the case, then I should have had a salary. 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. 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. 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". On December 14, 2010, the SC rendered its decision on the appeals of the accused, questioning the guilty verdict by the RTC and the CA. The SCs decision affirming the guilty verdict by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City on the Abadilla Five, the five men accused in the murder of police colonel Rolando Abadilla on June 13, 1996, is already the subject of a final appeal filed on October 8, 2010. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. 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. Aug 5, 2008. 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. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. The court said the "portion of Alfaro's story appears tortured to accommodate the physical evidence of the ransacked house" adding that "it is a story made to fit in with the crime scene although robbery was supposedly not the reason Webb and his companions entered that house". 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. The jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied. 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. My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). I will kill you, brandishing a shiny revolver. 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. 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. No. [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. (P.S. She did not know nor met any of them. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. Birrer said she had accompanied Biong to the Vizconde house to destroy the evidence and to retrieve Webb's jacket and the murder weapon. Abadilla Case Petition for Review on Certiorario:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf 2. 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. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. 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. "[21], In April 2010, the Supreme Court approved DNA testing to be performed on the semen specimen obtained during autopsy from Carmela Vizconde. [48] Other witnesses say Webb was in the Philippines at the time of the murders. Alfaro, upon explaining on how the house was ransacked, (the Paraaque police had earlier blamed house robbers as suspects), said that Ventura was looking for the front-door key and the car key. Fax: +(852) 2698 6367, Copyright 2023 Asian Human Rights Commission. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. 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. So, some sectors are calling for Eleazars extension until after the May 2022 elections. The case was featured on a Philippine TV show Case Unclosed as its ninth episode, "Vizconde Massacre Case. [8] If, on examination, the DNA of the subject specimen does not belong to Webb, then he did not rape Carmela. 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. No. G.R. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. Nephews had posted a banner declaring "Truth prevails 20 years after" and demanding "Final justice for the Vizconde massacre victims," in apparent reference to government probers' claims . 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. 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. 4. I told my family that I did my best. Eh di sana may sweldo ako. One of the justices, Roberto Abad, who dissented the majority decision affirming the guilty verdict wrote: the public prosecutor 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. [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. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. CONCLUSION: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by this unequal application of jurisprudence by the SC on the Abadilla murder and the Vizconde massacre. In the Philippines in 1992, the Vizconde Massacre, which saw the murder of multiple women who had been stabbed to death, created an investigation full of problems. Secondly, the SC affirmed the CAs assertion that Alejo was a credible witness ignoring the questions to his credibility by arguing that: positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction for murder against appellants. 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. 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. But in the Abadilla case, not only did the SC affird the CAs ruling in rejecting the defence of alibi, it did not also question the CAs formulation of conjectures on which it based its judgement. 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. I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. It is time to heal the past. I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption(VACC) asked Justice Antonio Carpio and his cousin Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to take a leave while the case is being decided to avoid undue influence on the court's decision. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde. starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. Francisco Kit Hernandez celebrated Mass. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. Alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification of a credible witness [140].. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. 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. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. [50], On January 18, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's motion to reverse the acquittal because of double jeopardy. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Guillermo Lorenzo Guilor Eleazar, recently appointed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), bows out on Nov. 13 this year when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56. 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. Both Webb and del Toro could not describe in court what Hubert's work was, Tolentino said. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the contradiction in the application of jurisprudence by the SC in these cases, particularly its ruling on positive identification, the credibility of witness and its appreciation of forensic evidence. In rejecting questions to Alejos credibility, the SC affirmed the CAs ruling that the credible testimony of a lone witness(es) assumes more weight when there is no showing that he was actuated by improper motive to testify falsely against the accused, as in the case of Freddie Alejo. That's all crap! Apart from Alejo, earlier there was another witness, Merlito Herbas. 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. Estrellita, 47, had suffered thirteen stab wounds; Carmela, 18, had suffered seventeen stab wounds and had been raped before she was killed; and Jennifer, 7, had nineteen stab . 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. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders. 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. The details of how they were killed were grim. "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 No. I stand by my story. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. InVizconde case: The SC has given weight to the importance of forensic evidence in a court trial. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. The remains of his wife and daughters were also exhumed from their grave at Holy Cross Memorial Park in Quezon City and transferred to his grave. The court noted the inconsistency between Alfaro's testimony of Webb being Carmela's boyfriend, who had no reason in breaking the glass panel of the house's front door to enter the house; Alfaro said that Webb "picked up some stone and, out of the blue, hurled it at the glass-paneled front door". They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. By providing an email address. Methinks one year would give Eleazar ample time impose his brand of discipline on one of the most undisciplined police forces in the world. Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. References: Yes, but what can I do (?). This was a case that was solved nine years after the murders and then unsolved 10 years later. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. Corona." No. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. The unconstitutionality of prior restraint. He alleged that Webb bought illegal drugs from him on two other occasions in May 1991. 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. 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. We have ruled that accused-appellant may not invoke the acquittal of the other conspirators to merit the reversal of his conviction for murder. No. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. [29], In his dissenting opinion, Justice Villarama argued that the claim of Webb that he could not have committed the crime because he left for the United States on March 9, 1991, and returned to the Philippines only on October 26, 1992, was correctly rejected by the Regional Trial Court and Court of Appeals. This column will tackle various topics on the days it will come out: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. On the contrary, it reopens it. When she could not produce the person, Sacaguing continued to press her saying that she might as well assume the role of her informant.. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. Justo Cabanacan, the security supervisor of the gated community, said that he saw Webb enter the gated community, although he did not record Webb entering in his log book. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. No. [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. 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. Connections Followed by The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! Lauro Vizconde the husband of Estrellita and father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United State on business when the murders took place. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. While the SC rejected Alfaros testimony being not a credible witness, it held Alejo still a credible witness despite the inconsistencies in his testimony. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. Of the 15 Justices, 7 voted for acquittal while four dissented and four Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]. [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. Make a difference. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. 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. 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. It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. [58] George, a drug dealer, claimed he was introduced to Webb by former SPO1 Gerardo Biong sometime in April 1991 where the young Webb allegedly purchased from him 10grams of shabu worth P10,000. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. The majority of the justices also rejected as conjecture the argument of one of the dissenting justices, Martin Villarama Jr., that it would not have been impossible during the interregnum for Webb to travel back to the country and again fly to the US several times considering that the travel time on board an airline from the Philippines to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to the Philippines takes only about twelve (12) to fourteen (14) hours.
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