Vizconde asked to name SC justices lobbying for Webb

Vizconde dared to name justice lobbying for Webb

By Radyo Inquirer, Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:57:00 11/26/2010

Filed Under: Massacre, Social networking, Punishment, Celebrities, Judiciary (system of justice), Crime and Law and Justice

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Close this MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Lauro Vizconde should name the Supreme Court Justice who was trying to convince his colleagues to reverse the life sentence ruling by a lower court against the convicted killer of his wife and two daughters.

The challenge came from the Supreme Court and former Senator Freddie Webb, father of Hubert Webb who has been in prison for the last 15 years after he and six others were found guilty of murdering Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela, 18, and Jennifer, 7, in June 1991.

Quoting lawyer Midas Marquez, spokesman and court administrator for the high tribunal, Radyo Inquirer reported that Vizconde should prove his allegation, which although “hearsay” was a serious claim that required proof.

Marquez said it was obvious that Vizconde was referring to Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a known close friend of the Webbs, according to Radyo Inquirer.

Marquez was quoted as saying that although Carpio testified for Hubert Webb during the trial, Carpio was not yet a member of the Supreme Court at that time.

When the case of Hubert Webb was referred to the Supreme Court, Carpio who was already an associate justice inhibited himself, the report quoted Marquez as saying.

Marquez believes that the high court will rule based on the evidence presented and not on any form of lobbying, the report said.

In a Radyo Inquirer interview earlier on Friday, former Senator Freddie Webb said that Vizconde said a lot of untruths.

“Napakadami niyang sinabi na di makatotohanan, masakit din naman
lalung-lalo na sa mga members na kanyang binabanggit [He has said a lot of things that are not truthful, this is causing pain as well, especially to the members he is referring to],” Webb said.

Vizconde “should bare” his sources to be fair to them, said the older Webb, now a broadcaster.

The former senator cautioned Vizconde to be careful about his allegations and challenged him to identify the high court magistrate involved.

Vizconde expressed fears that that the Supreme Court would reverse its decision because one of its justices was allegedly trying to convince colleagues to reverse the ruling of Paranaque Judge Amelita Tolentino.

Vizconde refused to identify the justice who was allegedly doing the rounds but said that this justice testified in favor of Webb during the trial at the sala of Tolentino, now a justice of the Court of Appeals.

The widower also did not identify the Supreme Court justice who told him of the purported on-going effort to have Webb acquitted.

But the former senator reiterated that was impossible for his son to be involved in the murders because he was in the United States when it happened.

He said his family released all records furnished by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which detailed his son’s activities for the whole month of June in 1991 when he was in the US.

“We made public all these reports, that’s why it’s unbelievable [that] he’s still jailed,” he added.

But Webb said he and his family remained steadfast in their belief that his son would be reunited with them.

“We don’t know where this case is gonna go . . . but have faith, things happen in God’s time,” said the older Webb.

When asked whether there was a time when he wanted to take justice in how own hands, Webb said, “I have to answer you truthfully, it has crossed my mind, but what keeps me sane is my trust in the Lord. Sometimes, you get to the point when you don’t believe anymore [in the justice system],” he said.

Asked if he still felt bitterness towards Vizconde, the former lawmaker said, “I always say wholeheartedly that I sympathize with them, I could not imagine what he went through. But I hope he feels also what my family, what Hubert is going through, he’s been jailed for 15 years even if he is innocent,” Webb said.

Asked anew if he could forgive the judge who gave the life sentence to his son, he said, “That’s very difficult to answer.”