The Jessica Alfaro Story in 1995 was meanwhile focused on the star witness, portrayed by Alice Dixson. 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 . She observed Hubert was quite irritated, uneasy, and walked to and fro inside his room. 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. al, 1995, G.R. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . But big offenses, such as rape or attempted rape, should be filed with the police or the prosecutors office. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. 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. No. [6], Alfaro's testimony coincided with the angle that was being explored by Supt. While the SC rejected Alfaros testimony being not a credible witness, it held Alejo still a credible witness despite the inconsistencies in his testimony. And while justice seems elusive, life must go on, Vizcondes grandniece Katherine Asuncion said, reading from a family statement. Justice Villarama argued that a photocopy of Webbs passport in court to support his alibi and the testimonies of witnesses, mostly his relatives and friends, could not be given merit, by cautioning his fellow justices that it can be gleaned from the fact that passports and plane tickets indicating dates of arrival and departure do not necessarily prove that the very same person actually took the flight and added that indeed, alibi cannot be sustained where it is not only without credible corroboration, but also where it does not, on its face, demonstrate the physical impossibility of the accuseds presence at the place and time of the commission of the crime. The film claims to have been based on new evidence from the then-ongoing trial. Eighteen-year-old daughter Carmela was raped, and had 17 stab wounds. Lejano and Ventura also took turns raping Carmela, before finishing her off with numerous stabs. InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. Choose Gods endless kind of love., Hernandez also reminded Vizconde that he now had three saints in Heaven.. May I invite you to watch?). Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. 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. She said that when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his pants, awake and smoking in bed. 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. 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. On Vizconde Massacre, Hubert Webb and the Quest for True Justice (1st Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb in the United States appeared to be tampered. But Villaramas opinion was not considered by the SC in their majority decision. [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". A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II, was released in 1994. In the Philippines in 1992, the Vizconde Massacre, which saw the murder of multiple women who had been stabbed to death, created an investigation full of problems. 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. 16:53. 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. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. As a host of the program that carries my surname, I and my all-female staff have handled complaints from citizens, concerning abusive or arrogant policemen and other government functionaries. Like Herbas, court records had also shown that Alejo has been receiving money and free accommodation from the Abadillas. No. G.R. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. Hopefully, if they will surface, public pressure will snowball and I will finally get the justice I am looking for, he said. Sulu in the eyes of my good friend Princess Jacel Kiram is a potential eco-tourism destination and fruit basket of the country. Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. Executive M/Sgt. 1 newspaper in terms of circulation and readership. A local elected official whos being groomed to run for a national office is being sold to the highest bidder by the politicians spouse. Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. 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 site uses cookies. 132577 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Jeffrey P. Webb, 1999, G.R. 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. I stand by my story. [2] Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. The court considered the accused's "lack of interest in having such test done" in which they concluded that the state "cannot be deemed put on reasonable notice that it would be required to produce the semen specimen at some future time".[29]. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. The court rejected his testimony because he was a disgruntled witness. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. 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. Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. 4. On SPO2 Cesar Fortuna, the RTC, the CA and the SC, accepted the fact that he was at Camp Crame, but the SC affirmed the RTC and the CAs conjecture that it was not impossible for him to have gone to Katipunan road, Blue Ridge, which is relatively near Camp Crame when the shooting happened around 8.40 in the morning. For almost two decades, Filipinos have been mystified by the brutal 1991 killing of a mother and her two daughters. Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? Biong walks free, insists he's innocent | ABS-CBN News 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. Webbs co-accused, Antonio Lejano, is a son of a known singer and celebrity. The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. The other accused were Artemio Dong Ventura, Michael A. Gatchalian, Hospicio Pyke Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Miguel Ging Rodriguez, and Joey Filart. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. The Vizconde massacre - my defining moment | Philstar.com 2. Kaya laban lang tayo. After 15 years behind bars, Hubert Webb and 5 others in the Vizconde massacre case (Manila-Philippines) were released from prison on Tuesday. 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. ), Moreover, Judge Tolentino also denied Webb's request to subject semen samples to DNA testing on the belief that the samples may no longer be intact. [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. While washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola said she noticed fresh bloodstains on his shirt. 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. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. God does not teach us to retaliate. 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. 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. Yes, but what can I do (?). Ho Man Tin, Kowloon He alleged that Webb bought illegal drugs from him on two other occasions in May 1991. 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. 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.Estrellita Vizconde, 49, suffered thirteen stab wounds; Maria Carmela Vizconde, 19, suffered seventeen stab wounds and had been raped before she was killed . [2] Tolentino said the certificates issued by the US Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Philippine Bureau of Immigration "could have easily been obtained by the powerful Webb family". 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. People cried for justice for the Vizcondes and one of the suspects was Hubert Webb, son of then Paraaque congressman Freddie Webb, who later became a senator. [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. 3. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. At the end of February, the Bureau of Fire Protection held a parade featuring some of its trucks and equipment as well as new regular personnel: women firefighters. [60] Mario, a hair stylist during the period June 1991, testified that Webb, along with Tony Boy Lejano and Dong Ventura had their haircut. [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. To find out more, please click this link. At any rate, Rameses de Jesus admitted that they were using the new car of Lenido Lumanog. Alejo confirmed these two (2) as the persons he saw from his guard post walking to and fro before the shooting incident. Defence of Alibi: In Vizconde case not admissible, in Abadilla case court acted on conjectures. 176864. No. Hubert and his co-accused were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court for the crime on June 6, 2000. Guillermo Lorenzo Guilor Eleazar, recently appointed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), bows out on Nov. 13 this year when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56. [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. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. 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. 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 . Im still hoping for a miracle to happen. 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. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison. A police officer, Gerardo Biong, has also been charged for destroying the evidence at the crime scene. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. [6][7][8] The suspects said they were tortured and forced to confess to the crime before they were presented by Filart to the media. Six months is not enough for him to clean up the Aegean stable that is the PNP. All rights are reserved. [49], On January 4, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said suspect Joey Filart was spotted in the United States. 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. Her mother, Estrellita, 47, and sister, Jennifer, 7, were also killed. Episode on July 5, 2011 Tuesday after Saksi! 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 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". The Vizconde massacre made headlines in the Philippines in the '90s and started a trend in filmmaking. But the grieving father couldn't distinguish the truth from the lies. InAbadilla case: Both the RTC and the CA did not apply this test of credibility of a witness before accepting the testimony of Alejo. 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. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. The Vizconde massacre: Justice not served - BusinessMirror Once again, the SCs applications of jurisprudence on the admissibility of forensic evidence in criminal trial have not been equally applied. Secondly, Alfaros quality as a witness and her inconsistent, if not inherently unbelievable, testimony cannot be the positive identification that jurisprudence acknowledges as sufficient. I can't express enough how sad and unjust today's story. It was Alejo who had positively identified Joel and Lorenzo (delos Santos) during a police line-up. [2] Alfaro said that policeman Gerardo Biong "was instructed by Webb, in my presence, to take care of the house where the incident happened". The massacre and surrounding events were depicted in the 1993 film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) vs. People of the Philippines et al., 1997, G.R. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) Jubilation by the citizenry greeted the report of his appointment. The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. There was only one vital witness for the prosecution, Freddie Alejo. 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. Abadilla Case Decision from the Court of Appeals:http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. Webb was the prime suspect of the infamous homicide that occurred on June 30, 1991. References: Alibi cannot prevail over the positive identification of a credible witness [140].. (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. Indeed, the testimony of a single witness, when positive and credible, is sufficient to support a conviction even for murder. Your subscription could not be saved. The presumption leaned on is disputable and can be overcome by evidence to the contrary. Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. 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. [56] According to De Lima, all the new witnesses passed the polygraph test. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. [55], On June 28, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines when the murders took place. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". In a decision dated January 6, 2000, Paraaque Regional Trial Court Judge Amelita Tolentino convicted Webb and the co . Early Thursday, Lauro Vizconde went to Holy Cross Memorial Park and laid bouquets of roses on the tombs of his wife and daughters. Lauro Vizconde: "Is there still anyone among you who doubts that there is rampant corruption in our government? The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. 127262 Hubert Webb, et al. Copyright 2023. Remember that death is the ultimate equalizer. I also updated them on the new twist in the investigation. The court said the "portion of Alfaro's story appears tortured to accommodate the physical evidence of the ransacked house" adding that "it is a story made to fit in with the crime scene although robbery was supposedly not the reason Webb and his companions entered that house". 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. 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! [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 court said that Alfaro was not a credible witness and that her "story of what she personally saw must be believable, not inherently contrived". 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. 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. Democrito Barcenas, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City president and regional coordinator of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG): I think that most of the justices are right in their decision. (1994) Details Release date June 24, 1993 (Philippines) Country of origin Philippines Languages English Filipino Tagalog Filming locations Webb's reliance on the presumption of regularity of official functions, stressing the fact that the US-INS certifications are official documents, is misplaced. On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. (P.S. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. 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. Vizconde massacre. Birrer said she had accompanied Biong to the Vizconde house to destroy the evidence and to retrieve Webb's jacket and the murder weapon. Di naman ako puwede magtrabaho don (If that's the case, then I should have had a salary. Vizconde said his quest for justice was continuing despite the end of the prescription period for the prosecution of his familys killers. The court also amended the award of damages from 100,000 pesos to 200,000 pesos, and also upheld the conviction of Biong as accessory to the crime "by abusing his public functions to conceal and destroy the physical evidence in order to prevent the discovery of the crime and by allowing the destruction of the physical evidence, Biong facilitated the escape of the principal accused. vs. Raul de Leon et. [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. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. 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. Kung di ninyo ako pinabayaan, 'di ako magkakaganito. (Fuck you all! 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. Fax: +(852) 2698 6367, Copyright 2023 Asian Human Rights Commission. [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. 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. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. He also ordered the Secretary of Justice Leila de Lima to study the possibility of giving compensation to Webb and others. 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. Firstly, the SC held Alfaro was not a credible witness. The Visconde Massacre Case - Filipino Journal The RTC, however, acquitted Delos Santos despite being positively identified also by Alejo as one of those who was present at the crime scene. But her parents did not allow her to go. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News The court also said that it was "possible for Alfaro to lie" on the details of the case. 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. They were victims of gory murder; Carmela was raped before she was killed. [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. Villarama noted that the alleged Passport, Passenger Manifest of United Airlines Flight and United Airline ticket of accused Webb offered in evidence were mere photocopies of an alleged original, which were never presented. It cautioned itself from accepting the testimonies of witnesses without applying these tests.
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