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. 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. [50], On January 18, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's motion to reverse the acquittal because of double jeopardy. There was only one vital witness for the prosecution, Freddie Alejo. LYN RILLON. White was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and out of the gated community many times, since they only entered once. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. [56][62][63][64] Dang claimed to have heard Dong Villadolid shouting at the top of his voice, saying they had raped and killed a certain Maria (presumed to be Maria Carmela Vizconde) and other persons. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. [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 policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. Movie producers and directors rode the wave of public outcry by creating true-to-life films based on such heinous crimes. 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." On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. In the Vizconde case, the SC does not accept conjecture as the basis of its decision. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. 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 . [2][12] Security guards Justo Cabanacan and Normal White. The ballistic test results also did not match to any of the firearms supposedly taken from the accused to the empty shells that were recovered at the crime scene. 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. Hong Kong [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. No. 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. God would be stupid to borrow Digongs words if He gifts him the vice presidency the second time around. On December 14, 2010, the SC rendered its decision on the appeals of the accused, questioning the guilty verdict by the RTC and the CA. 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. You are just a few clicks away from making [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. I can't express enough how sad and unjust today's story. 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. Nos. Lejano and Ventura also took turns raping Carmela, before finishing her off with numerous stabs. Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? The 47-year-old Estrellita had 13 stab wounds. 'Ms. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. Vizconde Massacre: The hidden Truth. Indeed, the testimony of a single witness, when positive and credible, is sufficient to support a conviction even for murder. [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". Make a difference. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. 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. 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. Webb's travel documents and other paper trail of his stay in the US are unreliable proof of his absence in the Philippines at the time of the commission of the crime charged. Am I dismayed by the decision of the (Supreme Court)? 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 case was featured on a Philippine TV show Case Unclosed as its ninth episode, "Vizconde Massacre Case. . The public and the media continue to watch as the years go by . All rights are reserved. "[29], The court held that security guard Normal E. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. About the Show; You May Also Like . 4. 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. [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. Abadilla Case Petition for Review on Certiorario:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf 176389 / G.R. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. 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. True Crime. Tel: +(852) 2698 6339 A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. No. Since I was introduced to The STAR readers in the front page, Ill hit the ground running. 187745. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. 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. 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. 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. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. It is that simple. Pray to them. At any rate, Rameses de Jesus admitted that they were using the new car of Lenido Lumanog. The SC rendered its judgment on the Abadilla case on September 7 and on the Vizconde case on December 14 of this year [2010]. Published July 4, 2011 7:24pm. [15] The accused alleged that by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had set the tone for their conviction. De Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in the country during the months of April, May and June 1991. 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. Justice Secretary Leila de Lima yesterday said the government task force re-investigating the 1991 Vizconde massacre case has found another witness and was convincing him to come out in public and Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. She took advantage of her familiarity with these details to include in her testimony. No acquittal has been made as to the two accused, Filart and Ventura, who remain at-large. 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. 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. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . Executive M/Sgt. Asuncion, 27, was a constant playmate of Jennifer Vizconde, who was 7 years old when she was killed. 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. 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. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. Episode on July 5, 2011 Tuesday after Saksi! 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. Two of the accused have also been acquitted by the RTC on the basis of their defence of alibis. After the Mass, VACC founding chair Dante Jimenez urged Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against the seven Supreme Court justices who either voted to acquit Webb and coaccused or abstained from voting last December. 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. [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. 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. 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. 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. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. It strictly laid down these as the least requirement in evaluating the credibility of the claim of positive identification. In a decision dated January 6, 2000, Paraaque Regional Trial Court Judge Amelita Tolentino convicted Webb and the co . Lauro Vizconde: "Is there still anyone among you who doubts that there is rampant corruption in our government? 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. The CA held that these ballistic results are inconclusive and can never prevail over appellants positive identification by eyewitness Freddie Alejo. 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. 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. 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. I stood my ground because I had all the facts in my hand. 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. [53], Lauro Vizconde, family patriarch and the founding president of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, died on February 13, 2016, at the age of 77. But I could not work there), Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairman. Several jeepney drivers groups have called for an unprecedented one-week strike next week to demand extension of the deadline for phasing out traditional vehicles and replacing them with modern It will take over 200 years for women to be at par with men, a news report from Davos said. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. al., 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vizconde_murders&oldid=1138122178, Loss of DNA evidence not a ground for outright acquittal. Yes, but what can I do (?). 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. 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. Connections Followed by The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. [4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et al., G.R. His intention was very, very dubious, he said. [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. That's all crap! Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. Francisco Kit Hernandez celebrated Mass. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. Corona." [12] (Under Philippine law, generally, alibi is the weakest defense, especially where there is direct testimony of an eyewitness, duly corroborated by another. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. 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. 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 . 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. The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. 3. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. 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. 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. TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. Anyone can be paid! The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him.

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