The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. Suspicions, no matter how strong they are, must never sway judgment. Alejos testimonies in open court were also not consistent to what he had said to the police investigators immediately after the murder. [47], On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come forward accusing Hubert Webb and others of allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre. This column will tackle various topics on the days it will come out: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth - Facebook 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). 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. 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 jurisprudence mentioned above that the SC invoked has not been equally applied. 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. Lauro Vizconde: "Is there still anyone among you who doubts that there is rampant corruption in our government? 176864), it became one of the most sensational cases in the Philippines, being described as a "trial of the century". Vizconde murders - Wikipedia His intention was very, very dubious, he said. Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! - sirasa.dixiesewing.com Therefore, the applications of the SC on evaluating the defence of alibi of the accused have not been equally applied in these two cases. "[21], In April 2010, the Supreme Court approved DNA testing to be performed on the semen specimen obtained during autopsy from Carmela Vizconde. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. [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. 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. So, some sectors are calling for Eleazars extension until after the May 2022 elections. Your subscription could not be saved. No. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. The DoJ also placed Alfaro under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) during the trial period. 3. Webb's reliance on the presumption of regularity of official functions, stressing the fact that the US-INS certifications are official documents, is misplaced. No. [10] According to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify all the defendants by their names. The Murder of an Entire Family While Dad Was Abroad for Work A lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness can. TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. 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. Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. [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. I will continue to play that role as long as I live. Who does forget the heart-crushing 1991 Visconde massacre, with Jessica Alfaro standing as the star witness, whistle-blowing the details how these young men before, coming from our society's influential families, killed Mang Lauro's wife and his two daughters. Knowing this, I cannot but hesitate to swallow everything that Alejo said at the trial. 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. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde Abadilla Case Petition for Review on Certiorario:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf 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. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. At about 4 a.m. on June 30, 1991, Gaviola woke up and entered the bedrooms to get the Webb's dirty laundry and wash it as part of her job. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses. To find out more, please click this link. Choose Gods endless kind of love., Hernandez also reminded Vizconde that he now had three saints in Heaven.. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. 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. 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". By providing an email address. 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. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. [139] Against positive evidence, alibi becomes most unsatisfactory. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. Vizconde massacre timeline | Philstar.com 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. All rights are reserved. 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. June 30, 1991 for a bicycle he bought from a store in Orange County, Los Angeles, California. This contradicted Hubert Webb's claim that he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to October 27, 1992. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. The court rejected his testimony because he was a disgruntled witness. 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. 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. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. 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. On June 30, 1991, 47-year-old housewife Estrellita Vizconde and daughters Carmela, 18, and Jennifer, 7, were found dead in their residence in BF Homes in Paraaque. Pitong, an electrician who since 1982, already knew the Webb family claimed he saw a laundry woman wash a bloodied T-shirt on the morning of the crime. It is said that being elected president is a gift from God. 182555/G.R. Two of the accused have also been acquitted by the RTC on the basis of their defence of alibis. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations This site uses cookies. Forensic evidence: In Vizconde case it cannot lie, in Abadilla case it is inconclusive. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to draw the attention of the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines to its recent decision on two well-known cases tried in the lower courts; the conviction in the Vizconde Massacre case was overturned while that of the Abadilla murder case was affirmed. Ho Man Tin, Kowloon 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. Lorenzo delos Santos was acquitted due to lack of evidence, but the RTC, the CA and the SC ignored that fact that the same positive identification it invoked in convicting the Abadilla Five came from exactly the same testimonies that have been used to acquit Delos Santos. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". 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. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road 176389 / G.R. One of the justices, Roberto Abad, who dissented the majority decision affirming the guilty verdict wrote: the public prosecutor 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. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. The film claims to have been based on new evidence from the then-ongoing trial. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. Copyright 2023. The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served - BusinessMirror I incurred the ire of the citizenry, including some of my fellow columnists in theInquirer,for my defense of Hubert. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. The Vizconde massacre - my defining moment | Philstar.com Of the 15 Justices, 7 voted for acquittal while four dissented and four Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]. 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. No. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. [2] Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. 3. Sulu in the eyes of my good friend Princess Jacel Kiram is a potential eco-tourism destination and fruit basket of the country. [65] One team uncovered Black Maria, a woman whom one witness said had told him she was with Webb's group inside the Vizconde home and saw the crime take place. The defense questioned Alfaro's credibility noting that she admitted to being under the influence of drugs when she allegedly witnessed the crime and had made inconsistent statements on her two affidavits. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. We have ruled that accused-appellant may not invoke the acquittal of the other conspirators to merit the reversal of his conviction for murder. Sign up now! Let the love of God prevail. [11], The defense produced documents and presented 95 witnesses, including Hubert Webb himself and his father, along with other relatives and friends to support Webb's alibi that he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to October 26, 1992. 176864. Vizconde Massacre Case - Pinoy Stories 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. The trial of the case having been long concluded, the requirements of the law may have been satisfied, but not the demands of justice. 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. Executive M/Sgt. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said. 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. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. There was entry of (former senator) Freddie Webb leaving the country in March 1991 but no Hubert Webb, De Lima said. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. 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. My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). [29], For the alibi to be established "the accused must prove by positive, clear, and satisfactory evidence that he was present at another place at the time of the perpetration of the crime, and that it was physically impossible for him to be at the scene of the crime". 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. Her mother, Estrellita, 47, and sister, Jennifer, 7, were also killed. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! Nos. Vizconde massacre. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. Vizconde said his quest for justice was continuing despite the end of the prescription period for the prosecution of his familys killers. TV-14. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. al, 1995, G.R. Justo Cabanacan, the security supervisor of the gated community, said that he saw Webb enter the gated community, although he did not record Webb entering in his log book. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. [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. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . On Vizconde Massacre, Hubert Webb and the Quest for True Justice (1st While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. So how can such accused penetrate a mind that has been made cynical by the rule drilled into his head that a defense of alibi is a hangmans noose in the face of a witness positively swearing. She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. She added that suspect Miguel Rodriguez warned her to "shut up or you're gonna get killed" in the same disco on April 8, 1995, prompting her to voluntarily submit herself to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for protection. The SC required this test as necessary before a testimony of positive identification could be accepted as credible and with merit. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. 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. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. The Vizconde Massacre | GMA News Online 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. 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. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. The court ruled that Alfaro was "a stool pigeon, one who earned her living by fraternizing with criminals so she could squeal on them to her NBI handlers." She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. Welcome to my maiden column in TheSTAR, now the countrys No. [60] De Lima believed Dong Villadolid is the same person as Dong Ventura, one of the co-accused who fled to the US following the massacre. [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. This was how Lauro Vizcondes relatives summed it up on Thursday night after a Mass marking the 20th anniversary of the death of his wife Estrellita and daughters Carmela and Jennifer. Eighteen-year-old daughter Carmela was raped, and had 17 stab wounds. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. SC acquits Hubert Webb, 6 others in Vizconde 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. Hello friends! MANILA, Philippines - A former policeman who was jailed for allegedly tampering with evidence in the 1991 Vizconde massacre insists he is innocent of any crime after being released from prison Tuesday. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) - IMDb 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. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. 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". ", Jessica Alfaro: Alfaro's e-mail from abroad read. 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. When she could not produce the person, Sacaguing continued to press her saying that she might as well assume the role of her informant.. 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. [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. 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. [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. Please try again. al., 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vizconde_murders&oldid=1138122178, Loss of DNA evidence not a ground for outright acquittal. Once again, the SCs applications of jurisprudence on the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trial have not been equally applied. 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. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. VIZCONDE MASSACRE: After 20 Years | GMA News Online
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