the truth about vizconde massacre

She said that when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his pants, awake and smoking in bed. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters. Sign up now! Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. The Vizconde Massacre was the multiple homicide of members of the Vizconde family on June 30, 1991 at their residence in BF Homes, Paraaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. 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. 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 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. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness Footnote: This article comprises the text of a statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission, AHRC-STM-266-2010, dated 21 December 2010. 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. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. Knowing this, I cannot but hesitate to swallow everything that Alejo said at the trial. Yes, but what can I do (?). Based on the infamous and seemingly never ending 1991 Vizconde murder case in the Philippines where a woman and her two children; a teen daughter who was also raped and a 6-year-old, were all viciously stabbed to death while the husband was away in America on business. 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. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. Apart from Alejo, earlier there was another witness, Merlito Herbas. Only minor cases, like oral defamation and quarrel between neighbors, are handled by the barangay. No. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) - IMDb 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 . I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. 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. Episode on July 5, 2011 Tuesday after Saksi! The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said. 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. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. 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 Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. ), 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. All of these had been applied in acquitting the accused in the Vizconde case, which is contradictory to its earlier decision affirming the conviction of the Abadilla Five. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. 2. Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. 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. Two of the accused have also been acquitted by the RTC on the basis of their defence of alibis. Like Alejo, Herbas also at first instance identified Joel de Jesus as one of the gunmen during a police line-up but later withdraw his statement in open court. The SC rendered its judgment on the Abadilla case on September 7 and on the Vizconde case on December 14 of this year [2010]. [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. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. 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. TV-14. It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. By providing an email address. Massacre era. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. [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]. The case of the Vizconde Massacre took another direction only after four years, when Jessica Alfaro surfaced and became the case's star witness. 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. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. Like Herbas, court records had also shown that Alejo has been receiving money and free accommodation from the Abadillas. In a decision dated January 6, 2000, Paraaque Regional Trial Court Judge Amelita Tolentino convicted Webb and the co . The Vizconde massacre revisited | ABS-CBN News The SCs decision in acquitting all the accused in the Vizconde case has fundamental contradictions to its earlier decision affirming the guilty verdict of the accused in the Abadilla case. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The Vizconde massacre made headlines in the Philippines in the '90s and started a trend in filmmaking. InVizconde case: The SC has given weight to the importance of forensic evidence in a court trial. The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. He also ordered the Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima to study the possibility of giving compensation to Webb and others. 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. 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. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. It took the trial and appeal process in this case fifteen years. :Isumbongwill make a comeback on PTV-4 on June 12, 2021. She said the US-based defense witnesses, most of whom are relatives or friends of the Webb family suffered from "incorrigible and selective memory syndrome". The case was featured on a Philippine TV show Case Unclosed as its ninth episode, "Vizconde Massacre Case. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. De Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in the country during the months of April, May and June 1991. Alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification of a credible witness [140].. 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. Biong was released from jail on November 30, 2010, after serving his sentence. 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. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. 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. Welcome to my maiden column in TheSTAR, now the countrys No. 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. Youd be surprised who the people are behind the call for his extension; some of them are top politicians. Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. She did not show up at the NBI as a spontaneous witness (only after four years) bothered by her conscience. 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. We have ruled that accused-appellant may not invoke the acquittal of the other conspirators to merit the reversal of his conviction for murder. Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Court's rulings on Vizconde and Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. [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". I will kill you, brandishing a shiny revolver. 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. Their original conviction was capital punishment but their sentence was modified to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. 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. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. 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. Ho Man Tin, Kowloon 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. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. 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. Jennifer woke up and, seeing Webb violating her sister, jumped on him and bit him. [56] According to De Lima, all the new witnesses passed the polygraph test. Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits 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. 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. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. ", The victims of the massacre (from left to right): Jennifer, Carmela, and Estrellita Vizconde, "The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served", "Lauro Vizconde to be buried in same grave with family Wednesday", "Manila Standard Google News Archive Search", "The Manila Times Internet Edition SPECIAL REPORT > Questions linger in Vizconde case", The Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 31, 2010, "Philippine Daily Inquirer Google News Archive Search", "NBI exec: We've turned over semen specimen from Vizconde girl to court", "2 SC justices asked to go on leave pending Vizconde decision", "SC sues for time, defers ruling on Vizconde case", Philippine Daily Inquirer, SC Acquits Webb et al, "Supreme Court decision on Webb et al re Vizconde Massacre", Lauro Vizconde in tears, Webbs on 'cloud nine', Gary, Kris speak up on Hubert's acquittal, Outrage over decision, sympathy for Vizconde, Ruling raises more questions, lawyers point out, Vizconde kin question why Webb was released so quickly, Alfaro unwilling to testifying anew in Vizconde case Jessica Alfaro stands by story, Criminal law experts umalma sa pag-absuwelto ng SC kay Webb, Ex-VP Guingona to SC: Reverse Webb's acquittal to give justice to Vizconde, "Another 'Joey Filart' still under detention", "New Vizconde massacre witnesses surface", New witnesses to prove Webb in PH during Vizconde massacre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Hubert Webb seeks P180K compensation for 'unlawful' conviction, NBI, PNP teams probe 3 sets of Vizconde slay suspects, Vizconde massacre has new set of witnesses, Evidence, witnesses 'shatter' Webb alibi: task force, DoJ chief: No credible proof of Webb in crime scene, De Lima hints at explosive breakthrough in Vizconde probe. Shades of what happened in the 2004 elections, when a national official was paid a huge sum to run under a political party. But her parents did not allow her to go. She did not know nor met any of them. Lauro Vizconde on Thursday marks the 20th anniversary of the murders of his wife and two daughters at his residence in BF Homes, Paraaque City. Alfaro said Estrellita was killed before Webb began to rape Carmela. Of the 15 Justices, 7 voted for acquittal while four dissented and four Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]. Vizconde massacre. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. The court ruled that Alfaro was "a stool pigeon, one who earned her living by fraternizing with criminals so she could squeal on them to her NBI handlers." December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm Hopefully, if they will surface, public pressure will snowball and I will finally get the justice I am looking for, he said. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. Another accused, Joey Filart also fled to the United States. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. I stood my ground because I had all the facts in my hand. New Vizconde massacre witness found | Inquirer News Firstly, the SC held Alfaro was not a credible witness. February 26, 2021. . 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. LYN RILLON. Visconde Masscre - Weebly The DoJ also placed Alfaro under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) during the trial period. 4. This site uses cookies. No. Nos. My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). Acting solely on Alfaros testimony, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed charges of rape with homicide against the eight accused on August 1995. Executive M/Sgt. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. 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 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]. [54] He was laid to rest at Manila Memorial Park Sucat on February 17. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo! Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. There was entry of (former senator) Freddie Webb leaving the country in March 1991 but no Hubert Webb, De Lima said. [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. 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. 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. He and six others spent 15 years in jail. Six months is not enough for him to clean up the Aegean stable that is the PNP. al, 1995, G.R. al., 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vizconde_murders&oldid=1138122178, Loss of DNA evidence not a ground for outright acquittal. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. 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. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. [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. No. I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. [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 defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. While the SC rejected Alfaros testimony being not a credible witness, it held Alejo still a credible witness despite the inconsistencies in his testimony. No. A local elected official whos being groomed to run for a national office is being sold to the highest bidder by the politicians spouse. Vizconde marks 20th year of murders: Time to move on : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. The SC, however, upheld the RTC and the CAs judgement that the defence of alibi of the accused is a weak defense, (and that) for it to prosper, the accused must prove not only that he was at some other place at the time of the commission of the crime, but also, that it was physically impossible for him to be or within its immediate vicinity. With the exception of Filart and Ventura who had been convicted in absentia the men were acquitted by the Supreme Court on December 14, 2010 for failure of the prosecution to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. 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. 24, Rule 134, R. [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. On August 11, 1999, the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City acquitted two of them and convicted the five others, now collectively known as the Abadilla Five. The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him. [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". 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 . On April this year, the Webbs filed an urgent motion to acquit when they found out that the NBI no longer has custody of the specimen that was taken from the body of the rape victim, Carmela Visconde. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. For there is no law requiring that the testimony of a simple [sic] witness should be corroborated for it to be accorded full faith and credit. The AHRC urges the SC to thoroughly review the pending final appeal of the accused in the Abadilla case. That's all crap! No acquittal has been made as to the two accused, Filart and Ventura, who remain at-large. The fight is not over. 3. 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,. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. No. 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. Firstly, in the Vizconde case, the SC still held as credible the corroborating testimonies of the witnesses favouring Hubert Jeffrey who are mostly his relatives and friends in support of his defence of alibi. 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. 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 Vizconde massacre - my defining moment | Philstar.com [15] The accused alleged that by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had set the tone for their conviction. A news report on Thursday in Business Mirror that headlined Senate grills defense brass on plans for EDCA expansion, sites raised much curiosity for its sheer lack of detailed information. Police assets are often criminals themselves. 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. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It was Alejo who had positively identified Joel and Lorenzo (delos Santos) during a police line-up. 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! LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde The massacre and surrounding events were depicted in the 1993 film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) Hubert Webb of Vizconde Massacre Freed- Breaking News - theAsianparent 132577 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Jeffrey P. Webb, 1999, G.R. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. The jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied. The SC identified the inconsistencies and the incredible facts in Alfaros testimony: her claim that Hubert Jeffrey Webb and Carmela Vizconde had a relationship; that Carmela had another lover whom she met just before Hubert came to her home and that she saw in open the five other accused taking turns in raping Carmela. Please try again. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. 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. Vizconde massacre timeline | Philstar.com Once again, the SCs applications of jurisprudence on the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trial have not been equally applied. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. 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. [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.

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