The AHRC urges the SC to thoroughly review the pending final appeal of the accused in the Abadilla case. On January 4, 2000, the Regional Trial Court of Paranaque City rendered its judgement finding all the accused guilty as charged imposing a penalty of life imprisonment. Hubert Webb - Wikipedia [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. Violent Vizconde Massacre | Crimes That Shocked Asia - YouTube Evid. 4. It was also not true that there was no showing that he (Alejo) was actuated by improper motive to testify falsely against the accused because the defence had since been challenging his credibility during the trial. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. 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. No. [9] They were acquitted by a trial judge in September 1993 for insufficient evidence.[9]. I became a villain in the eyes of the citizenry that was crying for blood; but I was steadfast. 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. Those initially jailed for. 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. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. This coincided with his passport and Philippine Immigration records but were dismissed by Tolentino due to belief that these documents can possibly be falsified. No. 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. 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. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. [4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et al., G.R. Vizconde Massacre | FreebookSummary Movie producers and directors rode the wave of public outcry by creating true-to-life films based on such heinous crimes. 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. 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." Suspicions, no matter how strong they are, must never sway judgment. Birrer said she had accompanied Biong to the Vizconde house to destroy the evidence and to retrieve Webb's jacket and the murder weapon. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. Biong was released from jail on November 30, 2010, after serving his sentence. The court also said that it was "possible for Alfaro to lie" on the details of the case. She admitted to knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre, NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis said. [29], The court said that "among the accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". The term dirty politics is appropriate for that kind of set-up. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. Your subscription could not be saved. The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him. She said that when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his pants, awake and smoking in bed. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. Nine years later, still no clarity on EDCA sites. But I could not work there), Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption chairman. [29], The court also held that the testimony of the Webb's maid, Mila Gaviola, was also unreliable since she was not able to distinguish if it was Hubert whom she saw on June 30, 1991, nor "did she remember any of the details that happened in the household on the other days". 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. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. 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". 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. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. 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. The other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. She also testified that Biong received money at a house that she later learned belonged to then Paraaque Congressman Freddie Webb; the Webb family's maids, Mila Gaviola and Nerissa Rosales, who both testified that Hubert Webb was at home on June 30, 1991. 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. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. Herbas and Alejo worked for the Abadillas as security guards. Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. References: [2][12] Security guards Justo Cabanacan and Normal White. [12] (Under Philippine law, generally, alibi is the weakest defense, especially where there is direct testimony of an eyewitness, duly corroborated by another. Episode on July 5, 2011 Tuesday after Saksi! They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Am I dismayed by the decision of the (Supreme Court)? [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. [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. Webb's reliance on the presumption of regularity of official functions, stressing the fact that the US-INS certifications are official documents, is misplaced. 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. [46], President Benigno Aquino III ordered the law enforcement agencies to re-investigate the case six months before the prescription period lapses. [47], On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come forward accusing Hubert Webb and others of allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News 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. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. [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]. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters. [citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require official attestation of the authenticity of any public document presented in evidence; as per Sec. al., 2010, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vizconde_murders&oldid=1138122178, Loss of DNA evidence not a ground for outright acquittal. [5] The other defendants were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court, which the Court of Appeals affirmed. On June 30, 1991, three Vizconde women Estrellita, 49; her 19-year-old daughter, Carmela and the younger Jennifer, 6 were found dead in their home at BF Homes Village in Paraaque. And while justice seems elusive, life must go on, Vizcondes grandniece Katherine Asuncion said, reading from a family statement. 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. [15] The accused alleged that by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had set the tone for their conviction. (P.S. A lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness can. 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. 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. 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. The Vizconde massacre, dubbed the crime of the 20th century, was my defining moment as a columnist and defender of the oppressed and those. Many of the stories in my columns in previous newspapers were complaints from citizens. Firstly, like Alfaro, Alejo also received money and free accommodation from the persons who had interest in his testimony. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. 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,. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . Once again, the SCs applications of jurisprudence on the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trial have not been equally applied. 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 majority of the justices strongly argued against relying on conjectures on deciding the case, particularly on the claim that Hubert Jeffrey could have been in the Philippines, and not in the U.S., when the crime happened. Pinoy murders: The worst true crimes in the Philippines LYN RILLON. Secondly, the SC affirmed the CAs assertion that Alejo was a credible witness ignoring the questions to his credibility by arguing that: positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction for murder against appellants. 2. Di naman ako puwede magtrabaho don (If that's the case, then I should have had a salary. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela into the dining room, she decided to step outside for a smoke. But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. [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. The Vizconde massacre has been dubbed as the trial of the century as the accused hailed from prominent families of the Philippines. It is that simple. 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. All rights are reserved. It is hard to believe this there is a record of supposed arrival from other country but no record of departure in 1991 or in any month of 1991, she said. Their original conviction was capital punishment but their sentence was modified to life imprisonment when the death penalty was abolished. The public and the media continue to watch as the years go by . . 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. 1. 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. LIKE me to support Mr. Vizconde 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! Massacre case in 1991 Webb was accused of raping Carmela Vizconde, 18, who was killed in her family's Paraaque home on June 30, 1991. On Vizconde Massacre, Hubert Webb and the Quest for True Justice (1st 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. Youd be surprised who the people are behind the call for his extension; some of them are top politicians. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. 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. She observed Hubert was quite irritated, uneasy, and walked to and fro inside his room. The filming location took place in the actual home of the Vizconde's where the massacre took place on June 30, 1991. [49], On January 4, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said suspect Joey Filart was spotted in the United States. 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. Hopefully, if they will surface, public pressure will snowball and I will finally get the justice I am looking for, he said. She had been hanging around that agency for sometime as a stool pigeon, one paid for mixing up with criminals and squealing on them. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. [50], On January 18, 2011, the Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's motion to reverse the acquittal because of double jeopardy. Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Court's rulings on Vizconde and Yes, but what can I do (?). 176864), it became one of the most sensational cases in the Philippines, being described as a "trial of the century". InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. 121234 Hubert Webb et al. Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. Connections Followed by The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! 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.
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