), 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. Corona." She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. True Crime. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). The film claims to have been based on new evidence from the then-ongoing trial. Methinks one year would give Eleazar ample time impose his brand of discipline on one of the most undisciplined police forces in the world. Biong was released from jail on November 30, 2010, after serving his sentence. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. 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. [57] The witnesses include an electrician, a drug dealer, a couple of neighborhood basketball players, a hairdresser and a village security guard. The most significant topic that Ive ever written about and which I personally got involved in was the Vizconde massacre. [2] Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. But, unlike the house robbers, however the court points out that "Webb and his friends did not have anything to do in a darkened garage. Equal protection of the law is fundamental in the countrys Constitution. She did not show up at the NBI as a spontaneous witness (only after four years) bothered by her conscience. 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. [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. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. 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. 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. Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. 3. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. 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 . The other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. Secondly, Alfaros quality as a witness and her inconsistent, if not inherently unbelievable, testimony cannot be the positive identification that jurisprudence acknowledges as sufficient. [10] According to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify all the defendants by their names. A lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness can. 16:53. Envy aliens who can avoid PH; pity Pinoys who are stuck here. [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. No. This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 03:37. Rodolfo Sison, the police investigator originally assigned to the case in 1991. The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served - BusinessMirror 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]. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. It cautioned itself from accepting the testimonies of witnesses without applying these tests. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. 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. In a decision dated January 6, 2000, Paraaque Regional Trial Court Judge Amelita Tolentino convicted Webb and the co . It is that simple. The unconstitutionality of prior restraint. She said that when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his pants, awake and smoking in bed. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. April 28, 1995 Jessica Alfaro presents herself as a witness and accuses Hubert Webb. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. 4. [29] God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. By providing an email address. 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. I went to the US to check on senator Webbs allegations I paid for my fare and accommodation, by the way and found that, indeed, Hubert was there when the Vizconde women were being butchered at their home in Paraaque. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. 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." 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. 3. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm Vizconde massacre. 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. The Vizconde Massacre | GMA News Online Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth. Both the SC and the CA affirmed the RTCs sentence of guilty verdict without applying the test on the credibility of a witness as they did in Vizconde case. The men were released on Dec. 14 last year, after the Supreme Court dismissed the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro against Webb. [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. Fax: +(852) 2698 6367, Copyright 2023 Asian Human Rights Commission. Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. Published July 4, 2011 7:24pm. In rejecting the defence of the accused, the SC also affirmed the conjecture the CA had put forward as to the possibility that the accused could have been present or somewhere at the vicinity where the crime took place, as mentioned below: On Joel de Jesus, it was not impossible for him to have gone also Katipunan Avenue (from Quezon City where he was driving), which is also part of Quezon City, not to mention the fact that with his tricycle, he could have easily moved from one place to another; On Rameses de Jesus and Lenido Lumanog, their claims lack credence as they are unsupported by the testimonies of independent witnesses. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. vs. People of the Philippines et al., 1997, G.R. [47], On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come forward accusing Hubert Webb and others of allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre. On the contrary, it reopens it. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! - IMDb LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde al, 1995, G.R. During the trial, accused Webb made a defence of alibi claiming that he was in the United States when the massacre of the Vizcondes happened. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. The SC rendered its judgment on the Abadilla case on September 7 and on the Vizconde case on December 14 of this year [2010]. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. Tel: +(852) 2698 6339 But I could not work there), Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairman. Even if we were denied justice, I consoled them that at least people already know what really happened, he said. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. Night of June 2930, 1991 Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde were killed in their Paraaque home; Carmela was found to have been raped. The prosecution of this case only began in August 10, 1995, four years after the massacre happened, when Jessica Alfaro, an informant working for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), told lawyer Artemio Sacaguing, an official of the NBI, that she knew someone who had the real story behind the Vizconde massacre. 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. He and six others spent 15 years in jail. 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". Please try again. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News But Villaramas opinion was not considered by the SC in their majority decision. 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. No. 121234 Hubert Webb et al. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. 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). This was a case that was solved nine years after the murders and then unsolved 10 years later. [29], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". [60], Although Webb's group can no longer be retried because of double jeopardy, De Lima said the purpose of the reinvestigation was to uncover the truth and bring closure to Lauro Vizconde.[65][66]. Birrer said she had accompanied Biong to the Vizconde house to destroy the evidence and to retrieve Webb's jacket and the murder weapon. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. [50], On January 18, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's motion to reverse the acquittal because of double jeopardy. Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines Sign up now! It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. 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. Alfaro said she was then having reservations when she first executed the first affidavit and held back vital information due to her natural reaction of mistrust. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. Aug 5, 2008. The San Jose police station eventually received and filed the complaint with the prosecutors office in Batangas City, only after my staff at Isumbong mo kay Tulfo told them Diazs arrogance would reach Camp Crame. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness G.R. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. [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. 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. Like the accused in the Vizconde case and for any other cases for that matter, the accused in the Abadilla murder case also deserve equal protection of the law. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission It is said that being elected president is a gift from God. The SC required this test as necessary before a testimony of positive identification could be accepted as credible and with merit. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. 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. Police assets are often criminals themselves. The Vizconde massacre, dubbed the crime of the 20th century, was my defining moment as a columnist and defender of the oppressed and those. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. The Jessica Alfaro Story in 1995 was meanwhile focused on the star witness, portrayed by Alice Dixson. He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo! Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. Alejos testimonies in open court were also not consistent to what he had said to the police investigators immediately after the murder. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. 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. It was based on the rule of the minority and not the majority as they (the SC justices) had enunciated in Fortich v. [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". By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Tolentino also found it hard to believe that Webb was working with a pesticide company because he was asthmatic and allergic to various substances. 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. Jennifer woke up and, seeing Webb violating her sister, jumped on him and bit him. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. 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 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. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. 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. 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. Copyright 2023. On January 4, 2000, the Regional Trial Court of Paranaque City rendered its judgement finding all the accused guilty as charged imposing a penalty of life imprisonment. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) On Vizconde Massacre, Hubert Webb and the Quest for True Justice (1st No. 24, Rule 134, R. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. 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 Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! Suspicions, no matter how strong they are, must never sway judgment. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. 2. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. Youd be surprised who the people are behind the call for his extension; some of them are top politicians. The prosecution did not present him as their witness during the trial. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. 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. The Truth about Mendiola Massacre - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. 'Ms. The court also said the same for the issue of the garage light: she claimed that Ventura climbed the car's hood, using a chair, to turn the light off. Hong Kong Therefore, the applications of the SC on evaluating the defence of alibi of the accused have not been equally applied in these two cases. Violent Vizconde Massacre | Crimes That Shocked Asia - YouTube [12] (Under Philippine law, generally, alibi is the weakest defense, especially where there is direct testimony of an eyewitness, duly corroborated by another. The Vizconde Massacre. 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. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. That's all crap! By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. 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. 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 . Lauro Vizconde the husband of Estrellita and father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United State on business when the murders took place.

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