He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong had allegedly threatened him, Do not cheat him. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! - IMDb 176864), it became one of the most sensational cases in the Philippines, being described as a "trial of the century". 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. Fax: +(852) 2698 6367, Copyright 2023 Asian Human Rights Commission. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. Abadilla Case Petition for Review on Certiorario:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf 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. Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Court's rulings on Vizconde and 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. I would not have ended up like this if you had not neglected me). Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. No. Three days after that, he was allegedly approached by Mrs. Webb who reportedly told him, You did not see anything. A week after, Sen. Freddie Webb allegedly told him, You did not see anything. 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,. 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. As already mentioned, the SC concluded Alfaro to be not a credible witness because she did not meet these two criteria. 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. 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. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing basketball between the months of June and July 1991 during a league in BF Homes. Rodolfo Sison, the police investigator originally assigned to the case in 1991. The SCs decision affirming the guilty verdict by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City on the Abadilla Five, the five men accused in the murder of police colonel Rolando Abadilla on June 13, 1996, is already the subject of a final appeal filed on October 8, 2010. 2. [54] He was laid to rest at Manila Memorial Park Sucat on February 17. Firstly, like Alfaro, Alejo also received money and free accommodation from the persons who had interest in his testimony. 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. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. You are just a few clicks away from making The details of how they were killed were grim. He also ordered the Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima to study the possibility of giving compensation to Webb and others. 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". De Lima said the evidence that showed Webb and any of the co-accused were in the country came from the magnetic reel tape (MRT) of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) where all records of incoming and outgoing passengers from the Philippines are recorded. 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. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. (Update 6:47 p.m.) The Supreme Court (SC) has cast doubts on the credibility of Jessica Alfaro, the so-called star witness in the gruesome killings of three members of the Vizconde family almost two decades ago. Carpio testified for the defense during the trial. Vizconde murders - Wikipedia From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. 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." 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. Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines 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. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. Envy aliens who can avoid PH; pity Pinoys who are stuck here. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption(VACC) asked Justice Antonio Carpio and his cousin Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to take a leave while the case is being decided to avoid undue influence on the court's decision. I stand by my story. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. There was only one vital witness for the prosecution, Freddie Alejo. A local elected official whos being groomed to run for a national office is being sold to the highest bidder by the politicians spouse. Choose Gods endless kind of love., Hernandez also reminded Vizconde that he now had three saints in Heaven.. For example, the prosecutor, instead of admitting Alejo to the WPP during trial, rather 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. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. No. Ho Man Tin, Kowloon 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. [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. Methinks one year would give Eleazar ample time impose his brand of discipline on one of the most undisciplined police forces in the world. February 26, 2021. . The passing away of Lauro Vizconde a few days ago does not close the sad chapter on the tragedy known as the Vizconde massacre. It cautioned itself from accepting the testimonies of witnesses without applying these tests. [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. She observed Hubert was quite irritated, uneasy, and walked to and fro inside his room. April 28, 1995 Jessica Alfaro presents herself as a witness and accuses Hubert Webb. [12] (Under Philippine law, generally, alibi is the weakest defense, especially where there is direct testimony of an eyewitness, duly corroborated by another. September 7, 2010http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm After the shooting, he could have easily and quickly transferred to Camp Crame between 9:00 and 9:30 in the morning. InAbadilla case: Both the RTC and the CA did not apply this test of credibility of a witness before accepting the testimony of Alejo. 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. 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. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. That's all crap! G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde. 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. 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. A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. Alejos testimonies in open court were also not consistent to what he had said to the police investigators immediately after the murder. I can't express enough how sad and unjust today's story. 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. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. Hello friends! Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. [29], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". Asuncion, 27, was a constant playmate of Jennifer Vizconde, who was 7 years old when she was killed. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness Executive M/Sgt. 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. The story of the Vizconde Massacre wasn't just a single story; it varied as told by a number of witnesses. 182555/G.R. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) - IMDb I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. 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. 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. Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. 124871, May 13, 2004. [10] According to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify all the defendants by their names. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. ", The victims of the massacre (from left to right): Jennifer, Carmela, and Estrellita Vizconde, "The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served", "Lauro Vizconde to be buried in same grave with family Wednesday", "Manila Standard Google News Archive Search", "The Manila Times Internet Edition SPECIAL REPORT > Questions linger in Vizconde case", The Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 31, 2010, "Philippine Daily Inquirer Google News Archive Search", "NBI exec: We've turned over semen specimen from Vizconde girl to court", "2 SC justices asked to go on leave pending Vizconde decision", "SC sues for time, defers ruling on Vizconde case", Philippine Daily Inquirer, SC Acquits Webb et al, "Supreme Court decision on Webb et al re Vizconde Massacre", Lauro Vizconde in tears, Webbs on 'cloud nine', Gary, Kris speak up on Hubert's acquittal, Outrage over decision, sympathy for Vizconde, Ruling raises more questions, lawyers point out, Vizconde kin question why Webb was released so quickly, Alfaro unwilling to testifying anew in Vizconde case Jessica Alfaro stands by story, Criminal law experts umalma sa pag-absuwelto ng SC kay Webb, Ex-VP Guingona to SC: Reverse Webb's acquittal to give justice to Vizconde, "Another 'Joey Filart' still under detention", "New Vizconde massacre witnesses surface", New witnesses to prove Webb in PH during Vizconde massacre, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Hubert Webb seeks P180K compensation for 'unlawful' conviction, NBI, PNP teams probe 3 sets of Vizconde slay suspects, Vizconde massacre has new set of witnesses, Evidence, witnesses 'shatter' Webb alibi: task force, DoJ chief: No credible proof of Webb in crime scene, De Lima hints at explosive breakthrough in Vizconde probe. Sign up now! She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. 24, Rule 134, R. 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. On April 28, 1995, National Bureau of Investigations asset and self-confessed drug user Jessica Alfaro came forward to police authorities to shed light on the killing of the Vizconde family. It was based on the rule of the minority and not the majority as they (the SC justices) had enunciated in Fortich v. Hubert Jeffrey Webb sought for an acquittal after he had found out that the NBI could no longer produce the DNA specimen extracted from the cadaver of the rape victim. But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. ), Among evidence that was not admitted by Judge Tolentino, was the note verbale from the United States Embassy in Manila claiming that Webb entered the United States in March 1991 and left in October 1992. [12] On July 24, 1997, the Supreme Court noted that Tolentino erred when she refused to admit the 132 pieces of evidence presented by the defense, although these were later admitted in court through an order issued by Tolentino.[12][16]. The lower courts, however, reasoned that "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him." [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. The CA held that these ballistic results are inconclusive and can never prevail over appellants positive identification by eyewitness Freddie Alejo. After she finished the laundry, she went to the servant's quarters. Equal protection of the law is fundamental in the countrys Constitution. The case of the Vizconde Massacre took another direction only after four years, when Jessica Alfaro surfaced and became the case's star witness. 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. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. Night of June 2930, 1991 Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde were killed in their Paraaque home; Carmela was found to have been raped. Under the law, prosecutors of a murder case are given 20 years from the time it occurred or the time it was discovered to identify suspects and charge them in court. [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. The SC acquitted all the accused, reversing and dismissing the guilty verdict of the RTC and the CA. True Crime. G.R. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. 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. [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. The trial of the case having been long concluded, the requirements of the law may have been satisfied, but not the demands of justice. 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. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. "[29] In general, the court said that Alfaro's story "lacks sense or suffers from inherent inconsistencies. May I invite you to watch?). 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." Massacre era. Therefore, the SCs rejection of Villamaras opinion demonstrates a fundamental contradiction to its September 7 decision on the Abadilla case. June 30, 1991 for a bicycle he bought from a store in Orange County, Los Angeles, California. The SCs decision in acquitting all the accused in the Vizconde case has fundamental contradictions to its earlier decision affirming the guilty verdict of the accused in the Abadilla case. 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. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. [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. Allan (surname intentionally omitted), stepfather of a 16-year-old girl who was nearly raped by a neighbor, went with his daughter to the police station in San Jose, Batangas recently to file a complaint. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. Therefore, the applications of the SC on evaluating the defence of alibi of the accused have not been equally applied in these two cases. On the acquittal of Lorenzo delos Santos, the accused whom Alejo had also positively identified, it ruled that his acquittal did not damage Alejos credibility; and his positive identification of the accused. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. This column will tackle various topics on the days it will come out: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Hubert Webb - Wikipedia 3. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. 121234 Hubert Webb et al. Footnote: This article comprises the text of a statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission, AHRC-STM-266-2010, dated 21 December 2010. Your subscription could not be saved. Kung di ninyo ako pinabayaan, 'di ako magkakaganito. (Fuck you all! He and six others spent 15 years in jail. 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. Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. [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. Yes, but what can I do (?). My program is the originalsumbungan ng bayan sa radyo(roughly, citizens complaint center on radio). Published July 4, 2011 7:24pm. LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 . On the contrary, it reopens it. Vizconde massacre timeline | Philstar.com 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. This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 03:37. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. 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). 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 should go after the national government. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. 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. 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. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo! It is said that being elected president is a gift from God. 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 Visconde Massacre Case - Filipino Journal 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. Suspicions, no matter how strong they are, must never sway judgment. Pray to them. This has resulted in the revelation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that they no longer had the specimens as these were remanded to the Paraaque courts. [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". They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. Aug 5, 2008. I will continue to play that role as long as I live. 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. SC acquits Hubert Webb, 6 others in Vizconde massacre But her parents did not allow her to go. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters.
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