16:53. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. I told my family that I did my best. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. To find out more, please click this link. As already mentioned, the SC concluded Alfaro to be not a credible witness because she did not meet these two criteria. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. You will regret it.[58][59] Jack, a village security guard who kept records of the village where Webb lived said he saw Hubert Webb during the time of the massacre. I will kill you, brandishing a shiny revolver. Under the law, prosecutors of a murder case are given 20 years from the time it occurred or the time it was discovered to identify suspects and charge them in court. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. [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. Shades of what happened in the 2004 elections, when a national official was paid a huge sum to run under a political party. I stand by my story. 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. The jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. The other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. Let the love of God prevail. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine Senator, Freddie Webb; and six others from a wealthy family background similar to that of the accused. Francisco Kit Hernandez celebrated Mass. The presumption leaned on is disputable and can be overcome by evidence to the contrary. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. 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. This contradicted Hubert Webb's claim that he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to October 27, 1992. 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. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. Alfaro said Estrellita was killed before Webb began to rape Carmela. The Truth about Mendiola Massacre - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. . She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. 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. It is time to heal the past. 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. No. Powered by, Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Courts rulings on Vizconde and Abadilla cases are contradictory, http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm, http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm, http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf, http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. After reading about how responsive Secretary Benhur Abalos is to matters raised by the media, some members of the PNP, particularly in the province of Iloilo, have shared through channels about their operational Local producers wont like it, but it looks like in the near future, there will be a flood of imported agricultural commodities. 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. [15] The accused alleged that by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had set the tone for their conviction. Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. [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. The Vizconde massacre, dubbed the crime of the 20th century, was my defining moment as a columnist and defender of the oppressed and those. 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. 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. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. 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. The prosecution did not present him as their witness during the trial. 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. 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. 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. 4. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. [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. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. 182555/G.R. 176864. Corona." 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. 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. Webb's reliance on the presumption of regularity of official functions, stressing the fact that the US-INS certifications are official documents, is misplaced. Early Thursday, Lauro Vizconde went to Holy Cross Memorial Park and laid bouquets of roses on the tombs of his wife and daughters. 'Ms. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! 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. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla 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. Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth. I incurred the ire of the citizenry, including some of my fellow columnists in theInquirer,for my defense of Hubert. Anyone can be paid! In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . TV-14. I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. ), 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. Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. 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. 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. 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. 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. Lejano and Ventura also took turns raping Carmela, before finishing her off with numerous stabs. Please try again. "[29], The court maintained that for a person to be convicted there should not be "a reasonable, lingering doubt as to his guilt." Jubilation by the citizenry greeted the report of his appointment. :Isumbongwill make a comeback on PTV-4 on June 12, 2021. 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. 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. I would not have ended up like this if you had not neglected me). He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. 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. Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. 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. 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. Police assets are often criminals themselves. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. No. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. Firstly, like Alfaro, Alejo also received money and free accommodation from the persons who had interest in his testimony. This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. Di naman ako puwede magtrabaho don (If that's the case, then I should have had a salary. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. She took advantage of her familiarity with these details to include in her testimony. But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. Am I dismayed by the decision of the (Supreme Court)? Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. 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. G.R. This coincided with his passport and Philippine Immigration records but were dismissed by Tolentino due to belief that these documents can possibly be falsified. Choose Gods endless kind of love., Hernandez also reminded Vizconde that he now had three saints in Heaven.. Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. 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. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. ", 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. 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. [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. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. Two of the accused have also been acquitted by the RTC on the basis of their defence of alibis. The Villadolid brothers were mentioned by a certain Rhoda Pujanes alias Dang, who claimed she overheard Villadolid and his friends, including Miguel Rodriguez and Michael Gatchalian (both co-accused of Webb), talking about the massacre during a pot session in 1991. The most significant topic that Ive ever written about and which I personally got involved in was the Vizconde massacre. Eighteen-year-old daughter Carmela was raped, and had 17 stab wounds. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. After the shooting, he could have easily and quickly transferred to Camp Crame between 9:00 and 9:30 in the morning. [2] Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. The Jessica Alfaro Story in 1995 was meanwhile focused on the star witness, portrayed by Alice Dixson. 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 . My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). [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. 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. Alejo confirmed these two (2) as the persons he saw from his guard post walking to and fro before the shooting incident. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. 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". Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. 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. A lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness can. 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] Your subscription could not be saved. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. 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. "[21], In April 2010, the Supreme Court approved DNA testing to be performed on the semen specimen obtained during autopsy from Carmela Vizconde. [29], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. This column will tackle various topics on the days it will come out: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. [48] Other witnesses say Webb was in the Philippines at the time of the murders. 150 likes. TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. 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. The SC acquitted all the accused, reversing and dismissing the guilty verdict of the RTC and the CA. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. No. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. On the contrary, it reopens it. 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. 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. Alfaro could not possibly prove the relationship between Hubert and Carmela, as they were strangers to each other, and Alfaro also could not have possibly identified the other accused because all of them were strangers to her. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. But to Judge Amelita Tolentino of the Paranaque Regional Trial Court, the truth was the account of star witness Jessica Alfaro. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. 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. 124871, May 13, 2004. Massacre era. [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. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. The film claims to have been based on new evidence from the then-ongoing trial. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. Vizconde should go after the national government. [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. Rodolfo Sison, the police investigator originally assigned to the case in 1991. 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. 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 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. This is despite questions to his credibility for receiving money and enjoying privileges while he was in Abadillas custody and the existence of inconsistencies in his testimonies in open court. Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. 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. 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." [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. But the grieving father couldn't distinguish the truth from the lies. Her mother, Estrellita, 47, and sister, Jennifer, 7, were also killed. 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. 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. [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. 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. People vs. Bello, G.R. The RTC, however, acquitted Delos Santos despite being positively identified also by Alejo as one of those who was present at the crime scene. April 28, 1995 Jessica Alfaro presents herself as a witness and accuses Hubert Webb. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders. [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. This site uses cookies. 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. 121234 Hubert Webb et al. 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. The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. Pray to them. Make a difference. [19], The Court of Appeals' Third Division voted 32 to deny Webb's motion for reconsideration and upheld the ruling of Judge Tolentino on December 16, 2005. Even if we were denied justice, I consoled them that at least people already know what really happened, he said. Secondly, in the Abadilla case the SC held that the defense of alibi is weak, but in the Vizconde case it held that not all denials and alibis should be regarded as fabricated. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him.

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