It was in December 14 last year when the Supreme Court acquitted Hubert Webb and six others who were accused in the murders of Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela and Jennifer at their home in BF Homes, Parañaque in June 30, 1991. The decision reversed the Court of Appeals’ December 2005 decision and January 2007 resolution that sutained the Parañaque Regional Trial Court’s guilty verdict on the seven accused in January 2000.
Court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez cited that the prosecution “failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of the accused” and that the prosecution’s main witness Jessica Alfaro, who was an NBI agent, was questionable, stressing the inconsistencies in her testimony. The high court also believed in the strength of the documentary and testimonial evidence which proved that Webb was in the US at the time of the murders. The Vizconde massacre trial has been dubbed as the “trial of the century” since the six accused are scions of prominent families.
The husband of Estrellita, Lauro, who was working in the US at the time of the killings, broke down and fainted upon hearing the ruling of the Supreme Court. In an interview with the media, the former OFW said that he had done everything he could to obtain justice for his wife and his daughters and blamed the inefficient justice system in the country, accusing that the justices who voted on the ruling are involved in lobby money practices amounting to P50M set up by the Webb family, something which former Senator Freddie Webb, father of Hubert, denied Webb said that Vizconde’s accusations were irresponsible and by making the false accusations, he has “crossed the line.”
President Benigno S. Aquino III expressed his sympathies to Vizconde following the Supreme Court decision and ordered a review of the case. Spokesman Edwin Lacierda maintained, however, that the Palace “has no position one way or the other on the Vizconde case,” citing that it was a decision made by a separate co-equal branch of government.
Following the decision, Vizconde filed a motion for reconsideration, which was denied by the high court last Feb. 15, but the Department of Justice (DOJ) initiated a reinvestigation on the case in an effort to beat the 20-year prescriptive period for criminal cases, which was June 30.
In June 3, Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed that the DOJ’s reinvestigation turned in a new set of suspects but stressed that it did not mean that Webb, et al. were off the hook.
Last Tuesday, June 28, it was reported that Vizconde, in an interview at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) main office in Manila, said that there are a new set of witnesses who can prove that Webb was in the country when the Vizconde massacre took place. De Lima said that their testimonies were “valid.” NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis added that they were able to get magnetic reel tapes from the Bureau of Immigration that would prove Webb never left the country at the time of the murders.
Despite the fact that Webb and company can no longer be tried for the same crime because of the “double jeopardy” principle, witnesses claiming Webb was in the country at the time of the murders made Vizconde feel that he was “vindicated” but said that “the fight is not over.”
Webb, on the other hand, has said that he is considering filing a case to disbar de Lima for “subversion of the law” by questioning his alibi. De Lima said that he is ready to face any disbarment case as she maintains the reinvestigation is intended “to uncover the truth and bring to justice any other individuals who may have been responsible for the Vizconde massacre.” P-Noy assured De Lima that she has his support, saying that De Lima is bent in serving the ends of justice.
It has been 20 years since the Vizconde massacre, and until now the truth has not been uncovered. With the latest development reported by the DOJ and the NBI, there is now new hope for Vizconde and his relatives to get justice. Thus both the DOJ and the NBI should. These agencies should also maintain their strength and courage as there are stumbling blocks that would surely get in their way. They should not let the case die down and undertake the necessary steps to get to the truth. Vizconde and his family has suffered long enough and has been deprived of the justice they rightfully deserve, and it is up to them to obtain justice for the grieving party.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(NYNJ July 1-7, 2011 Sec A pg. 6)