VISCONDE SLAMS WEBB FOR RAPS VS ALFARO
PHOTO - LAURO VIZCONDE SITTING ON HIS ROCKING CHAIR AT HIS RESIDENCE; acquitted Hubert Webb at right, below]
MANILA, FEBRUARY 21, 2011 (STAR) By Aie Balagtas See - Lauro Vizconde questioned yesterday plans by the camp of Hubert Webb to file a false testimony case against star witness Jessica Alfaro for her statements in the 1991 Vizconde massacre case.
"Why just Jessica? They should sue all the witnesses, even me. Why are they singling her out? That only proves Jessica's fear that she would be killed by the parents of two of the accused she identified, that is why she is afraid to come home," Vizconde told The STAR at his Parañaque City residence. Alfaro now resides in the United States.
Vizconde also reiterated his challenge to Webb to file charges against him as well because he believes that "it was really Hubert who did that to my family."
Jessica Alfaro (photo) testified that it was Webb, a son of a former lawmaker, and five other scions of wealthy families were behind the brutal murder of Estrella Vizconde and her daughters Carmela and Jennifer in their house in BF Homes in Parañaque City in 1991. She also claimed that Webb raped Carmela before she was stabbed to death.
The pieces of evidence were cleaned up by former policeman Gerardo Biong, allegedly upon Webb's order, she said.
Aside from Jessica, Webb's laundrywoman, Mila Gaviola, and village security guard Normal White testified to seeing Webb when the Vizcondes were murdered.
Webb, for his part, repeatedly denied the accusations and maintained that he was in the United States when the crime took place.
Lawyer Demetrio Custodio earlier said suing other witnesses are "minor matters," adding they still will study their options once the case against Alfaro has been filed.
Custodio could not give an exact date when the case will be filed before the Parañaque prosecutor's office. The case was supposed to be filed on Feb. 14 but did not push through after Vizconde filed his second motion for reconsideration, asking the Supreme Court to reverse the acquittal of Webb, Biong and five others. The Supreme Court junked the motion with finality three days after it was filed.
EARLIER NEWS FROM ABS-CBN
Guingona intervenes to support Vizconde By Ina Reformina, ABS-CBN News Posted at 01/07/2011 3:33 PM | Updated as of 01/07/2011 3:37 PM
MANILA, Philippines - Former Vice-President and former Justice Secretary Teofisto Guingona (photo at right), accompanied by Lauro Vizconde, filed before the Supreme Court today, a motion for leave to intervene to support the motion for reconsideration filed by Vizconde seeking a reversal of the high court's ruling in the Vizconde massacre case.
Guingona said that he filed the motion in his capacity as the incumbent justice secretary at the time of the filing of the charges by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in 1995.
This, Guingona said, makes him a real-party-in-interest in the successful prosecution of the case against Hubert Webb, et al. at the trial stage.
Guingona also said that he filed the motion in his capacity as former chairman of the Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) and former acting chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board "active in shaping the country's political, judicial and social structure and system."
During an interview with reporters, Guingona said that while Webb's camp's assertion that under Section 2, Rule 19 of the Rules of Court, a motion for intervention should be filed before the rendition of judgment, there are exceptions to this rule, especially when the case is of national interest and in favor of the "higher interest of justice."
Guingona said his intervention in support of Vizconde's motion for reconsideration is mainly anchored on the fact that as Department Justice (DOJ) secretary at the time of the filing of the charges and preliminary investigation stage of the case, he was convinced of prosecution star witness Jessica Alfaro's credibility.
No law stopping NBI assets from testifiying
Guingona also defended Alfaro from the Supreme Court majority ruling stating her testimony was incredible, and she, as state witness, was a mere NBI fabrication.
Guingona said Alfaro executed two affidavits to the NBI then because when her first statement was executed, it was with NBI agents she did not trust, and therefore, Alfaro chose to hold back vital information.
Guingona also said the issue raised by the Court on Alfaro being an NBI asset is actually a non-issue since there is no law barring assets from testifying.
Vizconde, meantime, expressed gratitude to Guingona for his continued support, from the time of the filing of the complaint in 1995 up to now.
Vizconde said Guingona's motion to intervene will make his motion for reconsideration stronger.
Vizconde reiterated his position that the Court should take a second look at his case.
Guingona and the other intervenors in favor of Vizconde's motion for reconsideration are also hoping that they are allowed to say their piece before the 15-member Court during the oral arguments Vizconde requested on January 25.
The Court has yet to rule on these latest pleadings.
The Court resumes session from its holiday break on Tuesday next week.
Meantime, in an interview on ANC, Webb counsel Demetrio Custodio said they are questioning the Guingona intervention and the other interventions to the Vizconde motion for reconsideration, because Rule 19 of the Rules of Court says that interventions should only be filed before judgment is rendered.
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