the truth about vizconde massacre

Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. Connections Followed by The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! [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. Vizconde massacre. 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. [53], Lauro Vizconde, family patriarch and the founding president of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, died on February 13, 2016, at the age of 77. 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. She said that when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his pants, awake and smoking in bed. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. [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. [18], In her decision, Tolentino described the testimony of defense witnesses as full of inconsistencies and biased. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. 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. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. Movie producers and directors rode the wave of public outcry by creating true-to-life films based on such heinous crimes. Alfaro also said that she bumped into Biong at the Faces Disco in Makati in March 1995 and relayed to her the offer of the group to give her a free ticket to the United States to shut her up. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. [5] The other defendants were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court, which the Court of Appeals affirmed. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. 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. 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. About the Show; You May Also Like . Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. Sources from the Department of Justice said Webb, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court last December, 2010, was in the country during and after the crime happened in . The AHRC urges the SC to thoroughly review the pending final appeal of the accused in the Abadilla case. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. Envy aliens who can avoid PH; pity Pinoys who are stuck here. Alejos testimonies in open court were also not consistent to what he had said to the police investigators immediately after the murder. 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. 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 Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission Footnote: This article comprises the text of a statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission, AHRC-STM-266-2010, dated 21 December 2010. 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. I found this As of yesterday, police had arrested and filed criminal charges against six fraternity members suspected to have beaten to death John Matthew Salilig in a twisted concept ofbrotherhood. Six months is not enough for him to clean up the Aegean stable that is the PNP. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. Webbs son, Hubert Jeffrey, is also the brother of a television host, Pinky, in one of the largest television networks in the country. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. The public and the media continue to watch as the years go by . The other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. 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 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]. [48] Other witnesses say Webb was in the Philippines at the time of the murders. 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. The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. 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. White, on the other hand, said he saw the three cars enter the subdivision on the night of June 29, as Alfaro had testified; White also testified that policeman Gerardo Biong was the first to arrive at the crime scene. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . 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. 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. 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. [29] 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. The SC required this test as necessary before a testimony of positive identification could be accepted as credible and with merit. 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. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. A lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness can. [50], On January 18, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's motion to reverse the acquittal because of double jeopardy. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. Webbs co-accused, Antonio Lejano, is a son of a known singer and celebrity. 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. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2023. No. However, the court pointed out that while Webb or his parents may be able to "arrange for the local immigration to put a March 9, 1991 departure stamp on his passport and an October 27, 1992 arrival stamp", they could not fix a foreign airlines passenger manifest, and the U.S. Immigration's record system. Anyone can be paid! 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. 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. At any rate, Rameses de Jesus admitted that they were using the new car of Lenido Lumanog. Of the 15 Justices, 7 voted for acquittal while four dissented and four Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]. Hubert and his co-accused were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court for the crime on June 6, 2000. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. 'Ms. 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. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. It is hard to believe this there is a record of supposed arrival from other country but no record of departure in 1991 or in any month of 1991, she said. Secondly, Alfaros quality as a witness and her inconsistent, if not inherently unbelievable, testimony cannot be the positive identification that jurisprudence acknowledges as sufficient. 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. 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 that, contrary to his alibi, released murder convict Hubert Webb never left the country. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. 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. 2. 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. I got involved in the case after Webb told me Hubert, whose name was slowly cropping up in news reports as a prime suspect, was in the United States when the dastardly crime happened.

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