No. Their original conviction was capital punishment but their sentence was modified to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished. 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. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him. Seven justices based its decision on the following points: Webb, citing Brady v. Maryland, said "that he is entitled to outright acquittal on the ground of violation of his right to due process given the States failure to produce on order of the Court either by negligence or willful suppression the semen specimen taken from Carmela." Alejos testimonies in open court were also not consistent to what he had said to the police investigators immediately after the murder. De Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in the country during the months of April, May and June 1991. The trial began in August 1995 before Paraaque RTC Judge Amelita Tolentino. 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. According to Rivera, Sacaguing was never part of the NBI team assigned to investigate the Vizconde massacre and that his former colleague took Alfaro's statement in April 1995 without the presence of a lawyer. 182555/G.R. 3. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. TV-14. Since I was introduced to The STAR readers in the front page, Ill hit the ground running. The men were released on Dec. 14 last year, after the Supreme Court dismissed the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro against Webb. The details of how they were killed were grim. The Vizconde massacre made headlines in the Philippines in the '90s and started a trend in filmmaking. 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. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. The presumption leaned on is disputable and can be overcome by evidence to the contrary. I told my family that I did my best. Alfaro said Estrellita was killed before Webb began to rape Carmela. 5. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations The massacre and surrounding events were depicted in the 1993 film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) "[21], In April 2010, the Supreme Court approved DNA testing to be performed on the semen specimen obtained during autopsy from Carmela Vizconde. 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. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. [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. I stood my ground because I had all the facts in my hand. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. Conjectures and suspicions are not facts, hence, they have no evidentiary value. 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. That's all crap! starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. June 30, 1991 for a bicycle he bought from a store in Orange County, Los Angeles, California. She took advantage of her familiarity with these details to include in her testimony. 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". [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. 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". While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. 176389 / G.R. 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. Person of interest in hazing case of Adamson student found dead, Jeepney phaseout: Its more than just new vehicles, Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Pagcor chair Genuino of graft, House energy committee chair Arroyo bats for cheap electricity, LIVE UPDATES: Face-to-face classes, work suspended as transport strike looms, vivo announces PHP 1,000 price drop on vivo V25e, Kickstart summer with vivos hot smartphone deals this 3.3, Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef at risk following Mindoro oil spill, Frat members planned to burn Adamson hazing victims body police | INQToday, Joey de Leon laughs off Eat Bulaga rebranding rumors; Tito Sotto meets up with show producer Tony Tuviera, LIST: LGUs, schools suspend face-to-face classes, work as transport strike looms, NBA: Devin Booker, Suns cruise past Bulls in second half. 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. But I could not work there), Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairman. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. The most significant topic that Ive ever written about and which I personally got involved in was the Vizconde massacre. And while justice seems elusive, life must go on, Vizcondes grandniece Katherine Asuncion said, reading from a family statement. [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. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. As to the failure to present the forensic evidence and its subsequent loss, the SC held: the semen specimen taken from Carmela cannot possibly lie. Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. Former Paraaque City cop Gerardo Biong walked free from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving a 12-year sentence. 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. Please try again. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. April 28, 1995 Jessica Alfaro presents herself as a witness and accuses Hubert Webb. 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. On the night of June 29, 1991, Asuncion was supposed to have a sleepover with Jennifer at the latters home in Paraaque City. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case. But the grieving father couldn't distinguish the truth from the lies. Copyright 2023. 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. Nos. The 47-year-old Estrellita had 13 stab wounds. The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. 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. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. 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. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. 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. Tel: +(852) 2698 6339 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. Even if we were denied justice, I consoled them that at least people already know what really happened, he said. Vizconde said his quest for justice was continuing despite the end of the prescription period for the prosecution of his familys killers. Another accused, Joey Filart also fled to the United States. 176864), it became one of the most sensational cases in the Philippines, being described as a "trial of the century". Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. [10] According to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify all the defendants by their names. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. [48] Other witnesses say Webb was in the Philippines at the time of the murders. 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. 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. This site uses cookies. Like the accused in the Vizconde case and for any other cases for that matter, the accused in the Abadilla murder case also deserve equal protection of the law. May I invite you to watch?). TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. They are Lenido Lumanog, Augusto Santos, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Cesar Fortuna, Rameses de Jesus and Joel de Jesus. Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde. 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. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. 2. 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 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. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. 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], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". 16:53. Webbs son, Hubert Jeffrey, is also the brother of a television host, Pinky, in one of the largest television networks in the country. During the trial, accused Webb made a defence of alibi claiming that he was in the United States when the massacre of the Vizcondes happened. All rights are reserved. 3. 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. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! 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. I incurred the ire of the citizenry, including some of my fellow columnists in theInquirer,for my defense of Hubert. I went to the US to check on senator Webbs allegations I paid for my fare and accommodation, by the way and found that, indeed, Hubert was there when the Vizconde women were being butchered at their home in Paraaque. No. 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 . The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said.
Information Technology Manager