[51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. 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 . Firstly, like Alfaro, Alejo also received money and free accommodation from the persons who had interest in his testimony. 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. They are Lenido Lumanog, Augusto Santos, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Cesar Fortuna, Rameses de Jesus and Joel de Jesus. In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . 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. The RTC, however, acquitted Delos Santos despite being positively identified also by Alejo as one of those who was present at the crime scene. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. [29]
The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? 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. I can't express enough how sad and unjust today's story. The court argued that the cited case has been superseded by Arizona v. Youngblood, "where the U.S. Supreme Court held that due process does not require the State to preserve the semen specimen although it might be useful to the accused unless the latter is able to show bad faith on the part of the prosecution or the police". 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. .
Vizconde Massacre Case - Pinoy Stories [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. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing.
Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines Published July 4, 2011 7:24pm. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. [49], On January 4, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said suspect Joey Filart was spotted in the United States. 1. [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 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. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. Eighteen-year-old daughter Carmela was raped, and had 17 stab wounds. He then hurled the little girl to a wall and started stabbing her. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It cautioned itself from accepting the testimonies of witnesses without applying these tests. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. TV-14. 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. 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. Among those present were former Vice President Teofisto Guingona; Arsenio Boy Evangelista, father of carjack victim Venson Evangelista; Dacer-Corbito witness Cezar Mancao and his lawyer Ferdinand Topacio; and members of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC). Eh di sana may sweldo ako. 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.
Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories - Anchor 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. 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. Ho Man Tin, Kowloon Vizconde should go after the national government. You are just a few clicks away from making 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. True Crime. I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. It took the trial and appeal process in this case fifteen years. Alejo confirmed these two (2) as the persons he saw from his guard post walking to and fro before the shooting incident.
Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News Acting solely on Alfaros testimony, the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed charges of rape with homicide against the eight accused on August 1995. Alfaro said that when she went back to the house, she saw the bodies of Estrellita and Jennifer on the bed and Webb raping Carmela on the floor. The SC rendered its judgment on the Abadilla case on September 7 and on the Vizconde case on December 14 of this year [2010]. vs. Raul de Leon et. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. 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. A local elected official whos being groomed to run for a national office is being sold to the highest bidder by the politicians spouse. [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. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. Envy aliens who can avoid PH; pity Pinoys who are stuck here. Methinks one year would give Eleazar ample time impose his brand of discipline on one of the most undisciplined police forces in the world. 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. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. 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. 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. Their original conviction was capital punishment but their sentence was modified to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished. The Vizconde murders remained unsolved for almost four years, until eyewitness Jessica Alfaro, a self-confessed former drug addict, came forward on April 28, 1995, to shed light on the massacre. Webb wanted Alfaro, the then-girlfriend of one of the accused men, Peter Estrada, to join them because Estrellita Vizconde only allowed her daughter to go out and entertain female visitors. Webb was the prime suspect of the infamous homicide that occurred on June 30, 1991. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. 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. InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. Aug 5, 2008. Hello friends! The Vizconde Massacre. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison. 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. 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. Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. It was based on the rule of the minority and not the majority as they (the SC justices) had enunciated in Fortich v. [30], In three separate occasions, police authorities mistakenly arrested persons they believed to be suspect Joey Filart: a namesake in August 1995, the same person again in February 2000, and a person from Compostela Valley in March 2000. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. The 47-year-old Estrellita had 13 stab wounds. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. 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. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. 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." Given the financial resources and political influence of his family, it was not unlikely that Webb could have traveled back to the Philippines before June 2930, 1991 and then departed for the US again, and returning to the Philippines in October 1992. [48] Other witnesses say Webb was in the Philippines at the time of the murders. All of us who have cases in court, dont we realize that if your opponent has money, brace yourself. 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 court also said that it was "possible for Alfaro to lie" on the details of the case. Episode on July 5, 2011 Tuesday after Saksi! 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. [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. 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.
VIZCONDE MASSACRE: After 20 Years | GMA News Online 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. 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. 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. Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. 3. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo!
The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! - IMDb Webbs co-accused, Antonio Lejano, is a son of a known singer and celebrity. 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. 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. Biong was released from jail on November 30, 2010, after serving his sentence. 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. 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. This contradicted Hubert Webb's claim that he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to October 27, 1992. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case.
The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served - BusinessMirror 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. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. 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". They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders. 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! In the Vizconde case, the SC does not accept conjecture as the basis of its decision. 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. 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. [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. The Vizconde massacre made headlines in the Philippines in the '90s and started a trend in filmmaking. 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. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations 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. The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. 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. 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. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. [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. 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. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. [47], On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come forward accusing Hubert Webb and others of allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre. 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. 124871, May 13, 2004. Abadilla Case Petition for Review on Certiorario:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf People vs. Bello, G.R. No. 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. 4. September 7, 2010http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm The fight is not over. Francisco Kit Hernandez celebrated Mass. 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] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. Vizconde massacre. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road 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. [12] (Under Philippine law, generally, alibi is the weakest defense, especially where there is direct testimony of an eyewitness, duly corroborated by another. The lower courts, however, reasoned that "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him."
[8] If, on examination, the DNA of the subject specimen does not belong to Webb, then he did not rape Carmela. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. 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. On the contrary, it reopens it. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. 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. Six months is not enough for him to clean up the Aegean stable that is the PNP. It was Alejo who had positively identified Joel and Lorenzo (delos Santos) during a police line-up. 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. Knowing this, I cannot but hesitate to swallow everything that Alejo said at the trial. 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.
Once again, the SCs applications of jurisprudence on the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trial have not been equally applied. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. Police assets are often criminals themselves. The court also amended the award of damages from 100,000 pesos to 200,000 pesos, and also upheld the conviction of Biong as accessory to the crime "by abusing his public functions to conceal and destroy the physical evidence in order to prevent the discovery of the crime and by allowing the destruction of the physical evidence, Biong facilitated the escape of the principal accused. The case was featured on a Philippine TV show Case Unclosed as its ninth episode, "Vizconde Massacre Case. But Villaramas opinion was not considered by the SC in their majority decision.
Hubert Webb of Vizconde Massacre Freed- Breaking News - theAsianparent [24] This was categorically denied by the Supreme Court as Justice Carpio had in fact recused himself from the case and was not going to take part in the deliberation. Vizconde said his quest for justice was continuing despite the end of the prescription period for the prosecution of his familys killers. (P.S. The men were released on Dec. 14 last year, after the Supreme Court dismissed the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro against Webb. 187745. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. No.
The Visconde Massacre Case - Filipino Journal Like Herbas, court records had also shown that Alejo has been receiving money and free accommodation from the Abadillas. 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. [11], Alfaro's testimony was corroborated by other witnesses including: Lolita Birrer, a former live-in partner of policeman Gerardo Biong, who narrated the manner of how Biong investigated and tried to cover up the crime. Evid. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. 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. May I invite you to watch?). While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. Jubilation by the citizenry greeted the report of his appointment. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. 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.
Massacre era | PEP.ph He alleged that Webb bought illegal drugs from him on two other occasions in May 1991. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. The jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied.
The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! - sirasa.dixiesewing.com 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. Make a difference. Former Paraaque City cop Gerardo Biong walked free from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving a 12-year sentence. On the night of June 29, 1991, Asuncion was supposed to have a sleepover with Jennifer at the latters home in Paraaque City. Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. 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,. We have ruled that accused-appellant may not invoke the acquittal of the other conspirators to merit the reversal of his conviction for murder. 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. This coincided with his passport and Philippine Immigration records but were dismissed by Tolentino due to belief that these documents can possibly be falsified. 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. 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. 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. It strictly laid down these as the least requirement in evaluating the credibility of the claim of positive identification. Thus the SC decision on the Vizconde massacre is flawed, Paguia averred, citing a portion of Fortich v. Corona, 312 SCRA 751, at 758 where the SC itself ruled that unless the minimum number of EIGHT votes for a majority is attained there is no decision to speak of, therefore the release order of the Webb group should not have been signed. The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said.