176389 / G.R. He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. But the grieving father couldn't distinguish the truth from the lies. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. September 7, 2010http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm Cruz, Manila accompanying his brother-in-law, Jonas Padel Ayhon, whose wife had just given birth; and Rameses de Jesus and Lenido Lumanog had just left Manila for Mabalacat, Pampanga where they stayed until the evening of June 14. Former Paraaque City cop Gerardo Biong walked free from the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving a 12-year sentence. 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. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. 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], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. All of us who have cases in court, dont we realize that if your opponent has money, brace yourself. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. 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. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News On the contrary, it reopens it. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. . [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. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. Six months is not enough for him to clean up the Aegean stable that is the PNP. [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. Vizconde marks 20th year of murders: Time to move on They are Lenido Lumanog, Augusto Santos, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Cesar Fortuna, Rameses de Jesus and Joel de Jesus. [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. Webbs son, Hubert Jeffrey, is also the brother of a television host, Pinky, in one of the largest television networks in the country. On SPO2 Cesar Fortuna, the RTC, the CA and the SC, accepted the fact that he was at Camp Crame, but the SC affirmed the RTC and the CAs conjecture that it was not impossible for him to have gone to Katipunan road, Blue Ridge, which is relatively near Camp Crame when the shooting happened around 8.40 in the morning. Methinks one year would give Eleazar ample time impose his brand of discipline on one of the most undisciplined police forces in the world. The case remained unsolved for almost four years until eyewitness, Jessica Alfaro Testified that Hubert Webb is the lead suspect and responsible of the crime committed. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. She did not know nor met any of them. Firstly, the SC held Alfaro was not a credible witness. There was entry of (former senator) Freddie Webb leaving the country in March 1991 but no Hubert Webb, De Lima said. [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. The fight is not over. Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth. 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 . Biong was released from jail on November 30, 2010, after serving his sentence. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. 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. De Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in the country during the months of April, May and June 1991. Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. X' key to real perpetrators of Vizconde murders? 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. This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 03:37. (P.S. She observed Hubert was quite irritated, uneasy, and walked to and fro inside his room. No. 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 . The AHRC is deeply concerned by the contradiction in the application of jurisprudence by the SC in these cases, particularly its ruling on positive identification, the credibility of witness and its appreciation of forensic evidence. In this case, the existence of an earlier negative report on the NIIS record on file concerning the entry of appellant Webb into and his exit from the US on March 9, 1991, and October 26, 1992, respectively, had raised serious doubt on the veracity and accuracy of the subsequently issued second certification dated August 31, 1995 which is based merely on a computer print-out of his alleged entry on March 9, 1991, and departure on October 26, 1992. On the night of June 29, 1991, Asuncion was supposed to have a sleepover with Jennifer at the latters home in Paraaque City. Night of June 2930, 1991 Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde were killed in their Paraaque home; Carmela was found to have been raped. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. G.R. 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! Lauro Vizconde the husband of Estrellita and father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United State on business when the murders took place. The court rejected his testimony because he was a disgruntled witness. 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. ), 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. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. Copyright 2023. 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. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". Secondly, Alfaros quality as a witness and her inconsistent, if not inherently unbelievable, testimony cannot be the positive identification that jurisprudence acknowledges as sufficient. Of the 15 Justices, 7 voted for acquittal while four dissented and four Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]. Alfaro implicated the children of wealthy and prominent families, including Hubert Webb, Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Vffrillaret and Artemio Ventura. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. 808 bound for New York and who expressed doubt on whether Hubert Webb was his co-passenger in the trip; NBI medico-legal Dr. Prospero Cabanayan, Belen Dometita and Teofilo Minoza, two of the Vizconde maids; and Manciano Gatmaitan, an engineer. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. It held that a positive declaration from a witness that he saw the accused commit the crime should not automatically cancel out the accuseds claim that he did not do it. Villarama noted that the alleged Passport, Passenger Manifest of United Airlines Flight and United Airline ticket of accused Webb offered in evidence were mere photocopies of an alleged original, which were never presented. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. 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. Forensic evidence: In Vizconde case it cannot lie, in Abadilla case it is inconclusive. 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,. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. The trial of the case having been long concluded, the requirements of the law may have been satisfied, but not the demands of justice. 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. I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. It is said that being elected president is a gift from God. I will continue to play that role as long as I live. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm 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. . InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. The SC required this test as necessary before a testimony of positive identification could be accepted as credible and with merit. The SC acquitted all the accused, reversing and dismissing the guilty verdict of the RTC and the CA. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. 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. No. He alleged that Webb bought illegal drugs from him on two other occasions in May 1991. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. 3. Both Webb and del Toro could not describe in court what Hubert's work was, Tolentino said. 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. The court said that Alfaro was not a credible witness and that her "story of what she personally saw must be believable, not inherently contrived". 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. Former NBI official Pedro Rivera however dismissed as lies the testimony of Sacaguing saying that Agent Sacaguing had a record of notoriety in the NBI which prompted his transfer to remote places of assignment until his early retirement. The lower courts, however, reasoned that "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him." 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. The Murder of an Entire Family While Dad Was Abroad for Work Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. Vizconde should go after the national government. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. 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. The trial began in August 1995 before Paraaque RTC Judge Amelita Tolentino. 176864. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. This contradicted Hubert Webb's claim that he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to October 27, 1992. 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. [4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et al., G.R. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. Vizconde Massacre | FreebookSummary It took the trial and appeal process in this case fifteen years. 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. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. 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 case of the Vizconde Massacre took another direction only after four years, when Jessica Alfaro surfaced and became the case's star witness. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. [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. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. The presumption leaned on is disputable and can be overcome by evidence to the contrary. 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.
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