White, on the other hand, said he saw the three cars enter the subdivision on the night of June 29, as Alfaro had testified; White also testified that policeman Gerardo Biong was the first to arrive at the crime scene. It defended the attack on Alejos credibility, for example, his inconsistencies on the number of gunmen, arguing that this had already been explained by Alejo during cross-examination by correcting his earlier statement and that the affidavits, being ex-parte, are almost always incomplete and often inaccurate, but do not really detract from the credibility of witnesses. In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . 127262 Hubert Webb, et al. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. Hence, it was not physically impossible for them to travel to Quezon City via the North Expressway at the time the crime took place; On Augusto Santos, the corroboration of his brother-in-law, Jonas Padel Ayhon, that he was at the Jose Fabella Hospital when the crime happened, the CA rejected his corroboration because he was not an impartial witness and ruled that where nothing supports the alibi than the testimony of a relative, it deserves scant consideration. Eh di sana may sweldo ako. As already mentioned, the SC concluded Alfaro to be not a credible witness because she did not meet these two criteria. Alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification of a credible witness [140].. [25][26], On December 14, 2010, the Supreme Court reversed the earlier judgment of the lower court and Court of Appeals and acquitted seven of the nine accused, including Hubert Webb, finding that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused were guilty beyond reasonable doubt. But to Judge Amelita Tolentino of the Paranaque Regional Trial Court, the truth was the account of star witness Jessica Alfaro. To support this, Webb presented a Certification issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service of August 31, 1995 confirming that his entry into that country was recorded. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. Vizconde should go after the national government. I got my style of writing when I was a reporter, news writer and newsreader on radio during the pre-martial law era, and as a deskman and feature writer of the Philippines News Agency (PNA). [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. The DoJ also placed Alfaro under the Witness Protection Program (WPP) during the trial period. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. 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 47-year-old Estrellita had 13 stab wounds. Among the defense witnesses was Artemio Sacaguing, a former, now deceased NBI official who testified that Alfaro was an NBI asset who only volunteered to assume the role of the eyewitness when she could not produce the actual witness to the Vizconde killings. To find out more, please click this link. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. He and six others spent 15 years in jail. [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. Many of the stories in my columns in previous newspapers were complaints from citizens. InVizconde case: The SC applied two tests in rejecting the positive identification of Alfaro: firstly, the credibility of a witness; secondly, the testimony should be believable, not inherently contrived. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. The details of how they were killed were grim. 1. Hell never return to the Philippines, said the Thai tourist whose cash was filched by Manila airport security personnel. Hong Kong Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. LYN RILLON. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. VIZCONDE MASSACRE: 20 YEARS, TWO FACES OF JUSTICE Report by Maki Pulido It is one of the most controversial cases in the country's history, the most shocking crime in the 90s - the Vizconde Massacre. He also ordered the Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima to study the possibility of giving compensation to Webb and others. 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. 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 said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. 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 . 3. al, 1995, G.R. 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. 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. The court also said that it was "possible for Alfaro to lie" on the details of the case. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. 132577 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Jeffrey P. Webb, 1999, G.R. 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. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. 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. 176389 / G.R. Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. [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. TV-14. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. Sulu in the eyes of my good friend Princess Jacel Kiram is a potential eco-tourism destination and fruit basket of the country. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. Sign up now! Evid. 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. Like Herbas, court records had also shown that Alejo has been receiving money and free accommodation from the Abadillas. Both the SC and the CA affirmed the RTCs sentence of guilty verdict without applying the test on the credibility of a witness as they did in Vizconde case. 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. Alejo had been under the Abadillas custody and protection instead of that of the WPP of the government. This was a case that was solved nine years after the murders and then unsolved 10 years later. 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). The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". 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. 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". [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. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. True Crime. People vs. Bello, G.R. 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. InVizconde case: The SC has given weight to the importance of forensic evidence in a court trial. There was entry of (former senator) Freddie Webb leaving the country in March 1991 but no Hubert Webb, De Lima said. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. The Vizconde murders remained unsolved for almost four years, until eyewitness Jessica Alfaro, a self-confessed former drug addict, came forward on April 28, 1995, to shed light on the massacre. The prosecution did not present him as their witness during the trial. [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. [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. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. [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. Copyright 2023. 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. 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. [23] On November 26, 2010, Lauro Vizconde voiced his concern to media about the purported lobbying of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for the reversal of the guilty verdict. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. Only minor cases, like oral defamation and quarrel between neighbors, are handled by the barangay. 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. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. 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 High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. 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.