150 likes. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. In a decision dated January 6, 2000, Paraaque Regional Trial Court Judge Amelita Tolentino convicted Webb and the co . The NBI is the agency responsible in providing security and protection of witnesses admitted under WPP. Aug 5, 2008. 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. Night of June 2930, 1991 Estrellita, Carmela and Jennifer Vizconde were killed in their Paraaque home; Carmela was found to have been raped. Since I was introduced to The STAR readers in the front page, Ill hit the ground running. 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. It is that simple. They are Lenido Lumanog, Augusto Santos, Senior Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Cesar Fortuna, Rameses de Jesus and Joel de Jesus. [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. [61], The findings also point to another set of suspects, namely Dong Villadolid and his brother Bing. 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. Reporters jostled with Vizcondes relatives and friends in his garage, where Fr. All rights are reserved. For those who havent heard aboutIsumbong, the public service program started at Radyo Veritas on June 1, 1991. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. [15] The accused alleged that by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had set the tone for their conviction. Originally, there were seven accused charged in this case. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. [60], Although Webb's group can no longer be retried because of double jeopardy, De Lima said the purpose of the reinvestigation was to uncover the truth and bring closure to Lauro Vizconde.[65][66]. Movie producers and directors rode the wave of public outcry by creating true-to-life films based on such heinous crimes. Tolentino also found it hard to believe that Webb was working with a pesticide company because he was asthmatic and allergic to various substances. The Vizconde massacre revisited | ABS-CBN News This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 03:37. No. Rodolfo Sison, the police investigator originally assigned to the case in 1991. 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. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. 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. [49], On January 4, 2011, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said suspect Joey Filart was spotted in the United States. Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. 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. 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. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. In open court, he already said there were six, not four assailants; that it was two other gunmen, not one of the four present close to the car who pointed the gun at him; and he was not nervous but rather had the opportunity to see the faces of all the assailants facing him all at the same time. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. I did that hoping to make them have second thoughts about doing so,.There is no justice in the Philippines. Di naman ako puwede magtrabaho don (If that's the case, then I should have had a salary. Police assets are often criminals themselves. [2] Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. The NBI is a special investigating body attached to the DoJ. G/F, 52 Princess Margaret Road Needless to say, were unpopular with the PNP and other government agencies that citizens transact business with. LYN RILLON. 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. 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. [4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et al., G.R. Ho Man Tin, Kowloon The people urging President Rodrigo Digong Duterte to run for vice president in the 2022 elections are making fun of him. starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. The High Court put to question the quality of the testamentary evidence furnished by the witnesses. The Truth about Mendiola Massacre - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. [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". Remember when I made the disclosure that someone is pressuring the justices to vote for a reversal? Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories - Anchor 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. The Vizconde massacre - my defining moment | Philstar.com 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. 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. Jubilation by the citizenry greeted the report of his appointment. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) It was hard to tell which made up the truth and the lies. 176864), it became one of the most sensational cases in the Philippines, being described as a "trial of the century". 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. 1. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of evidence the defense presented. The Jessica Alfaro Story in 1995 was meanwhile focused on the star witness, portrayed by Alice Dixson. 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. 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. Thus, it was not surprising for Alfaro to testify with great details in court. 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. 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. As already mentioned, the SC concluded Alfaro to be not a credible witness because she did not meet these two criteria. Asuncion, 27, was a constant playmate of Jennifer Vizconde, who was 7 years old when she was killed. 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". Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. Please try again. The prosecutors, the RTC and the CA have been made aware of this fact by the defence. [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]. Similar to the accused in the Vizconde case, all the accused in the Abadilla case invoked their defence of alibi. He adds, this Court takes judicial notice of reported irregularities and tampering of passports in the years prior to the recent issuance by the Department of Foreign Affairs(DFA) of machine-readable passports. When we die, that is when we will be given the whole truth May the Lord console you in all your afflictions, The priest said. Manila Times Special Report on the Vizconde Case, G.R. 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. Conjectures and suspicions are not facts, hence, they have no evidentiary value. The details of how they were killed were grim. [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. No. [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. 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. 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. Alfaro, upon explaining on how the house was ransacked, (the Paraaque police had earlier blamed house robbers as suspects), said that Ventura was looking for the front-door key and the car key. Philstar Global Corp. All Rights Reserved. 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". Credibility of a witness: In Vizconde case not credible, but credible in the Abadilla case. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he had to stab and kill a young girl. The court rejected his testimony because he was a disgruntled witness. Hopefully, if they will surface, public pressure will snowball and I will finally get the justice I am looking for, he said. The RTC, however, acquitted Delos Santos despite being positively identified also by Alejo as one of those who was present at the crime scene. [18], In her decision, Tolentino described the testimony of defense witnesses as full of inconsistencies and biased. 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. De Lima said it was possible that it was Black Maria who was in the Vizconde home and not Jessica Alfaro, the NBI's star witness during the trial. The prosecution did not present him as their witness 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 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. 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. December 14, 2010:http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm 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. Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. [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. 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." They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders. . Thus, her testimony could not be admitted. [2] Alfaro said that policeman Gerardo Biong "was instructed by Webb, in my presence, to take care of the house where the incident happened". 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. Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Court's rulings on Vizconde and 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. 'Ms. 2. 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. The Vizconde Massacre was the multiple homicide of members of the Vizconde family on June 30, 1991 at their residence in BF Homes, Paraaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. The AHRC urges the SC to thoroughly review the pending final appeal of the accused in the Abadilla case. 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. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993) - IMDb Vizconde murders - Wikipedia 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. 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. But feeling uneasy, she decided to go up to the stockroom near Hubert's room to see what he was doing. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. The other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. [52] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" for the Vizconde massacre. He was sentenced to eleven years in prison. De Lima said they could still go after Filart and Ventura, as well as the Villadolid brothers, since the prescriptive period of 20 years for homicide does not apply to them because they were abroad. From there she allegedly saw Lejano and Ventura take a knife from the kitchen drawer, while the rest of the gang acted as lookouts. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs arrived in the country, including Hubert, sometime in October 1992. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. Vizconde massacre case: Back to square one | ABS-CBN News God does not teach us to retaliate.