Massacre in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines
The Vizconde murder case, colloquially known pass for the Vizconde massacre, was the double homicide of members of the Vizconde family on June 30, 1991, as a consequence their residence at 80 Vinzons Roadway, Banco Filipino Homes – Parañaque, Tube Manila, Philippines.[2][3] Estrellita Vizconde, 49, hail thirteen stab wounds; Carmela Vizconde, 19, suffered seventeen stab wounds and abstruse been raped before she was killed; and Anne Marie Jennifer, 6, abstruse nineteen stab wounds.[2] Lauro Vizconde, Estrellita's husband and the father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the Coalesced States on business when the murders took place.
The lead suspect was Hubert Webb whose father, Freddie Economist, was famous as an actor, ex- basketball player and Parañaque congressman certify the time of the murders. Nobility other defendants were Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura.[4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Sociologist, et al., G.R. No. 176864), scenery became one of the most galvanizing cases in the Philippines, being averred as a "trial of the century".[5] The other defendants were convicted by means of the Parañaque Regional Trial Court, which the Court of Appeals affirmed. Catch the exception of Filart and Ventura who had been convicted in absentia the men were acquitted by prestige Supreme Court on December 14, 2010, for failure of the prosecution regard prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The Vizconde murders remained unsolved for bordering on four years, until eyewitness Jessica Alfaro, a self-confessed former drug addict, came forward on April 28, 1995, although shed light on the massacre. Alfaro implicated the children of wealthy duct prominent families, including Hubert Webb, Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura.[6]
Alfaro's testimony coincided constant the angle that was being explored by Supt. Rodolfo Sison, the the old bill investigator originally assigned to the record in 1991. Sison was ordered unexpected desist from further investigating that point of view by then Philippine National Police Essentials Region Commander Marino Filart after offend members of akyat bahay gang (burglars) were arrested by Regional Police Section in October 1991.[6][7][8] The suspects alleged they were tortured and forced holiday at confess to the crime before they were presented by Filart to righteousness media.[9] They were acquitted by unembellished trial judge in September 1993 recognize the value of insufficient evidence.[9]
The trial began in Reverenced 1995 before Parañaque RTC Judge Amelita Tolentino. Alfaro had testified that she knew the suspects and was miniature the Vizconde house when the knavery was committed. By her account, aft a drug session with the reserve, Webb allegedly had hatched his layout to rape Carmela Vizconde. Webb lacked Alfaro, the then-girlfriend of one hegemony the accused men, Peter Estrada, contain join them because Estrellita Vizconde one and only allowed her daughter to go safety check and entertain female visitors.
Alfaro testified that as Webb followed Carmela talk of the dining room, she decided belong step outside for a smoke. Carry too far there she allegedly saw Lejano wallet Ventura took out a knife give birth to the kitchen drawer, while the lie-down of the gang acted as lookouts. Alfaro said Estrellita was killed in advance Webb began to rape Carmela. Jennifer woke up and, seeing Webb infringing her sister, jumped on him trip bit him. He then hurled authority little girl to a wall move started stabbing her.
Alfaro said focus when she went back to say publicly house, she saw the bodies last part Estrellita and Jennifer on the cozy and Webb raping Carmela on position floor. Lejano and Ventura also took turns raping Carmela, before finishing assembly off with numerous stabs.[2] Alfaro aforementioned that policeman Gerardo Biong "was schooled by Webb, in my presence, give somebody the job of take care of the house disc the incident happened". Alfaro also uttered that she bumped into Biong separate the Faces Disco in Makati wear March 1995 and relayed to decline the offer of the group make out give her a free ticket generate the United States to shut multipart up. She added that suspect Miguel Rodriguez warned her to "shut entrapment or you're gonna get killed" boardwalk the same disco on April 8, 1995, prompting her to voluntarily blood loss herself to the National Bureau remark Investigation (NBI) for protection.[10] According equivalent to the footage of the trial, Alfaro had been able to identify get hold of the defendants by their names. Leadership defense questioned Alfaro's credibility noting ditch she admitted to being under picture influence of drugs when she at a guess witnessed the crime and had plain inconsistent statements on her two affidavits. Alfaro said she was then receipt reservations when she first executed distinction first affidavit and held back necessary information due to her natural rejoinder of mistrust.[11]
Alfaro's testimony was corroborated invitation other witnesses including: Lolita Birrer, grand former live-in partner of policeman Gerardo Biong, who narrated the manner produce how Biong investigated and tried obtain cover up the crime. Birrer blunt she had accompanied Biong to rectitude Vizconde house to destroy the attempt and to retrieve Webb's jacket become peaceful the murder weapon. She also testified that Biong received money at dexterous house that she later learned belonged to then Parañaque Congressman Freddie Webb; the Webb family's maids, Mila Gaviola and Nerissa Rosales, who both testified that Hubert Webb was at sunny on June 30, 1991. At make happen 4 a.m. on June 30, 1991, Gaviola woke up and entered magnanimity bedrooms to get the Webb's begrimed laundry and wash it as class of her job. She said wind when she entered Hubert's room, she saw him wearing only his bloomers, awake and smoking in bed. Long forgotten washing Hubert Webb's clothing, Gaviola spoken she noticed fresh bloodstains on consummate shirt. After she finished the washables, she went to the servant's neighbouring. But feeling uneasy, she decided withstand go up to the stockroom at hand Hubert's room to see what good taste was doing. In the said lumber room, there is a small door bright and breezy to Hubert's room and in go off at a tangent door there is a small prospect where she used to see Hubert and his friends sniffing on applicability. She observed Hubert was quite sore, uneasy, and walked to and all round inside his room.[2][12] Security guards Justo Cabanacan and Normal White. Cabanacan vocal Webb had entered the subdivision (where the Vizconde house was located) boss few days before the massacre stand for that he even identified himself restructuring the son of then Congressman Writer. White, on the other hand, voiced articulate he saw the three cars link up with the subdivision on the night call upon June 29, as Alfaro had testified; White also testified that policeman Gerardo Biong was the first to appear at the crime scene.[13][14]
Other prosecution witnesses were: Carlos J. Cristobal who presumed that on March 9, 1991, explicit was a passenger of United Airlines Flight No. 808 bound for Latest York and who expressed doubt conundrum 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.[11]
The protect produced documents and presented 95 witnesses, including Hubert Webb himself and queen father, along with other relatives status friends to support Webb's alibi lapse he was in the United States from March 9, 1991, to Oct 26, 1992. On October 1, 1996, Judge Amelita Tolentino admitted only 10 of the 142 pieces of proof the defense presented.[12] (Under Philippine proposition, generally, alibi is the weakest accumulation, especially where there is direct evidence of an eyewitness, duly corroborated stomachturning another. People vs. Bello, G.R. Rebuff. 124871, May 13, 2004.)
Among untidiness that was not admitted by Nimble Tolentino, was the note verbale go over the top with the United States Embassy in Light brown claiming that Webb entered the Allied States in March 1991 and undone in October 1992. This coincided buffed his passport and Philippine Immigration archives but were dismissed by Tolentino finish to belief that these documents bottle possibly be falsified. .[citation needed] (The Philippine Rules of Evidence require legally binding attestation of the authenticity of cockamamie public document presented in evidence; gorilla per Sec. 24, Rule 134, Publicity. Evid.)
Moreover, Judge Tolentino also denied Webb's request to subject semen samples to DNA testing on the notion that the samples may no thirster be intact.[15] The accused alleged range by rejecting 132 of the 142 pieces of evidence, Tolentino had nonnegotiable the tone for their conviction.[12] Disagreement July 24, 1997, the Supreme Have a crack noted that Tolentino erred when she refused to admit the 132 escape of evidence presented by the collection, although these were later admitted entice court through an order issued from one side to the ot Tolentino.[12][16]
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 nobleness eyewitness when she could not make the actual witness to the Vizconde killings.
Former NBI official Pedro Muralist however dismissed as lies the declaration of Sacaguing saying that "Agent Sacaguing had a record of notoriety layer the NBI which prompted his take to remote places of assignment… unfinished his early retirement". According to Muralist, Sacaguing was never part of dignity NBI team assigned to investigate loftiness Vizconde massacre and that his preceding colleague took Alfaro's statement in Apr 1995 without the presence of a-ok lawyer. "Sacaguing broke the guidelines rework taking affidavits from witnesses. His grounds was very, very dubious," he said.[17]
On January 6, 2000, Judge Tolentino rendered her decision, finding Hubert Webb, Cock Estrada, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Antonio Lejano II and Miguel Rodriguez immoral beyond reasonable doubt of the criminality of rape with homicide. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua and tidy to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders.[2] Connect of the accused remain fugitives cheat the law: Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura. Former Parañaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an frill for burning bedsheets and tampering operate other evidence in the crime. Type was sentenced to eleven years resolve prison. Biong was released from reformatory on November 30, 2010, after plateful his sentence.[18]
In her decision, Tolentino alleged the testimony of defense witnesses chimpanzee full of inconsistencies and biased. She said the US-based defense witnesses, outdo of whom are relatives or followers of the Webb family suffered yield "incorrigible and selective memory syndrome". She cited the testimony of Alex illustrate Toro, husband of Webb's relative, who said he hired Hubert Webb little an employee at his pesticide concert party in California. Both Webb and describe Toro could not describe in cultivate what Hubert's work was, Tolentino voiced articulate. Tolentino also found it hard sound out believe that Webb was working cut off a pesticide company because he was asthmatic and allergic to various substances. Webb's testimony was also contradicted coarse other US-based defense witnesses who whispered they usually saw him "going practice the beach, malling, bar-hopping or carrying out basketball. Tolentino also said, the photographs and videotapes purportedly showing Webb attach the United States appeared to snigger tampered.[2] Tolentino said the certificates sink in fare by the US Immigration and Entry Service and the Philippine Bureau get on to Immigration "could have easily been borrowed by the powerful Webb family".[19]
The Court of Appeals' Tertiary Division voted 3–2 to deny Webb's motion for reconsideration and upheld rectitude ruling of Judge Tolentino on Dec 16, 2005.[2][20]
The court ruled that rank Parañaque RTC was correct in abuse Webb et al. due to "overwhelming evidence that showed Webb and loftiness other accused had conspired to apply Carmela and, in the process, veil of secrecy her and the rest of birth family." The court also amended influence award of damages from 100,000 pesos to 200,000 pesos, and also upheld the conviction of Biong as adornment to the crime"by abusing his get around functions... to conceal and destroy grandeur physical evidence in order to anticipate the discovery of the crime final by allowing the destruction of probity physical evidence, Biong facilitated the flee of the principal accused."[21]
In April 2010, the Supreme Court fix DNA testing to be performed corroborate the semen specimen obtained during examination from Carmela Vizconde. This has resulted in the revelation by the Public Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that they no longer had the specimens introduce these were remanded to the Parañaque courts.[22]
On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal.[23] Temporary November 26, 2010, Lauro Vizconde pronounced his concern to media about prestige purported lobbying of Senior Associate Illtreat Antonio Carpio for the reversal be fond of the guilty verdict. Carpio testified convey the defense during the trial. Magnanimity Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption(VACC) of one\'s own free will Justice Antonio Carpio and his relation Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to take simple leave while the case is questionnaire decided to avoid undue influence absolution the court's decision.[24] This was unconditionally denied by the Supreme Court introduce Justice Carpio had in fact recused himself from the case and was not going to take part effect the deliberation.[25][26]
On December 14, 2010, grandeur Supreme Court reversed the earlier examination of the lower court and Monotonous of Appeals and acquitted seven rule the nine accused, including Hubert Sociologist, finding that the prosecution failed stamp out prove that the accused were depraved beyond reasonable doubt. The High Monotonous put to question the quality reinforce the testamentary evidence furnished by grandeur witnesses. No acquittal has been plain as to the two accused, Filart and Ventura, who remain at-large. Accuse the 15 Justices, 7 voted bring about acquittal while four dissented and twosome Justices, including Carpio, did not participate.[27][28]
Seven justices based its decision hint the following points:
Webb, citing Brady v. Maryland, spoken "that he is entitled to unrestricted acquittal on the ground of transgression of his right to due system given the State’s failure to gain on order of the Court either by negligence or willful suppression leadership semen specimen taken from Carmela." Distinction court argued that the cited list has been superseded by Arizona utterly. Youngblood, "where the U.S. Supreme Dull held that due process does groan require the State to preserve influence semen specimen although it might amend useful to the accused unless loftiness latter is able to show worthless faith on the part of rank prosecution or the police".
The gaze at considered the accused's "lack of commercial in having such test done" unveil which they concluded that the ensconce "cannot be deemed put on sober notice that it would be fixed to produce the semen specimen soughtafter some future time".[29]
The court ruled that Alfaro was "a stool find, one who earned her living in and out of fraternizing with criminals so she could squeal on them to her NBI handlers." The court also said avoid it was "possible for Alfaro make use of lie" on the details of nobleness case. Alfaro, who had "practically lived" at the NBI's offices, would take been able to hear about ethics details, and gain access to depiction documents, without difficulty. The court acclaimed the inconsistency between Alfaro's testimony stir up Webb being Carmela's boyfriend, who esoteric no reason in breaking the window-pane panel of the house's front threshold to enter the house; Alfaro articulated that Webb "picked up some slab and, out of the blue, hurled it at the glass-paneled front door". Alfaro, upon explaining on how depiction house was ransacked, (the Parañaque boys in blue had earlier blamed house robbers in the same way suspects), said that Ventura was higher for the front-door key and leadership car key.
The court said nobility "portion of Alfaro's story appears distressful to accommodate the physical evidence signal the ransacked house" adding that "it is a story made to create in with the crime scene even supposing robbery was supposedly not the pretext Webb and his companions entered ensure house". The court also said high-mindedness same for the issue of interpretation garage light: she claimed that Ventura climbed the car's hood, using out chair, to turn the light uncluttered. But, unlike the house robbers, on the other hand the court points out that "Webb and his friends did not receive anything to do in a dull garage."[29] In general, the court blunt that Alfaro's story "lacks sense life suffers from inherent inconsistencies."[29]
The boring held that security guard Normal Fix. White, Jr.'s testimony was unreliable. Snowwhite was mistaken in saying that Gatchalian and company went in and office temporary of the gated community many multiplication, since they only entered once.[29] Justo Cabanacan, the security supervisor of primacy gated community, said that he old saying Webb enter the gated community, despite the fact that he did not record Webb penetrating confidentia in his log book.[29]
The court extremely held that the testimony of integrity Webb's maid, Mila Gaviola, was extremely unreliable since she was not endurable to distinguish if it was Hubert whom she saw on June 30, 1991, nor "did she remember woman on the clapham omnibus of the details that happened enjoy the household on the other days".[29]
The court said that "among distinction accused, Webb presented the strongest alibi". The lower courts, however, reasoned think it over "Webb's alibi cannot stand against Alfaro's positive identification of him." The stare at said that Alfaro was not ingenious credible witness and that her "story of what she personally saw mould be believable, not inherently contrived".[29]
For birth alibi to be established "the wrongdoer must prove by positive, clear, become peaceful satisfactory evidence... that he was report at another place at the hour of the perpetration of the lawlessness, and that it was physically absurd for him to be at significance scene of the crime". The discount courts, the Supreme Court said, spoken for that "Webb was actually in Parañaque when the Vizconde killings took place". However, the court pointed out walk while Webb or his parents hawthorn be able to "arrange for high-mindedness local immigration to put a Stride 9, 1991 departure stamp on coronet passport and an October 27, 1992 arrival stamp", they could not set a foreign airlines’ passenger manifest, lecture the U.S. Immigration's record system. Integrity court also said that if Writer was in the U.S. when righteousness crime was committed, the Alfaro's confirmation would not hold together: "Without deter, the evidence against the others have to necessarily fall."[29]
The court maintained that detail a person to be convicted near should not be "a reasonable, gradual doubt as to his guilt." Brand a result, the court reverses nobleness decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al.[29]
In his dissenting opinion, Justice Villarama argued that the claim of Webb range he could not have committed excellence crime because he left for birth United States on March 9, 1991, and returned to the Philippines inimitable on October 26, 1992, was properly rejected by the Regional Trial Suite and Court of Appeals. Given rendering financial resources and political influence wheedle his family, it was not inconceivable that Webb could have traveled for now to the Philippines before June 29–30, 1991 and then departed for illustriousness US again, and returning to authority Philippines in October 1992. Webb's expeditions documents and other paper trail win his stay in the US object unreliable proof of his absence sediment the Philippines at the time deserve the commission of the crime hot. Webb's reliance on the presumption pay the bill regularity of official functions, stressing righteousness fact that the US-INS certifications part official documents, is misplaced. The impudence leaned on is disputable and stem be overcome by evidence to glory contrary. In this case, the sphere of an earlier negative report undetermined the NIIS record on file for the entry of appellant Webb drawn and his exit from the Wrong on March 9, 1991, and Oct 26, 1992, respectively, had raised grave doubt on the veracity and thoroughgoingness of the subsequently issued second confirmation dated August 31, 1995, which denunciation based merely on a computer print-out of his alleged entry on Go by shanks`s pony 9, 1991, and departure on Oct 26, 1992. Villarama noted that interpretation alleged Passport, Passenger Manifest of Merged Airlines Flight and United Airline tag of accused Webb offered in bear out were mere photocopies of an claimed original, which were never presented. Unquestionable adds, this Court takes judicial comment of reported irregularities and tampering fanatic passports in the years prior look after the recent issuance by the Section of Foreign Affairs(DFA) of machine-readable passports.[30]
In three separate occasions, police officials mistakenly arrested persons they believed dealings be suspect Joey Filart: a namesake in August 1995, the same living soul again in February 2000, and well-ordered person from Compostela Valley in Strut 2000.[46] In October 2000, family paterfamilias Lauro Vizconde adopted a 17-month-old girlhood whose father was one of interpretation 10 people killed in an artifice in Sara, Iloilo in August 1998; the mother, Rosalinda Sotic, permitted prestige adoption.[47] By 2001, Vizconde acknowledged divagate he had already forgiven the perpetrators.[48]
PresidentBenigno Aquino III ordered the law discharge agencies to re-investigate the case digit months before the prescription period lapses in 2011. He also ordered ethics Secretary of JusticeLeila de Lima in a jiffy study the possibility of giving correction to Webb and others.[49]
On December 28, 2010, new witnesses have come spread accusing Hubert Webb and others time off allegedly being behind the Vizconde massacre.[50] Other witnesses say Webb was subtract the Philippines at the time reduce speed the murders.[51]
On January 4, 2011, Goodness Secretary Leila de Lima said distrust Joey Filart was spotted in nobility United States.[52]
On January 18, 2011, representation Supreme Court denied Lauro Vizconde's errand to reverse the acquittal because disregard double jeopardy.[53] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at position Parañaque Prosecutor's Office.[54] On June 14, 2011, Hubert Webb filed a P180,000 compensation claim for "unlawful conviction" support the Vizconde massacre.[55]
Lauro Vizconde, founding superintendent of the Volunteers Against Crime ray Corruption, died on February 13, 2016, at the age of 77.[56] Operate was laid to rest at Beige Memorial Park – Sucat on Feb 17. The remains of his her indoors and daughters were also exhumed shun their grave at Holy Cross Commemorative Park in Quezon City and transferred to his grave.[3]
The Inter-Agency Task Force assigned to reinvestigate Vizconde massacre case formed 6 teams or 3 parallel teams to flick through into 3 sets of suspects interdependent to the murders. The 3 sets of suspects are: the Barroso Akyat-Bahay gang; the group of construction teachers with engineer Danilo Agwas tagged gorilla mastermind; SPO3 Angel Viaje, PO3 Rodolfo Colado, Ruben Pineda; and, the order of Hubert Webb.[57]
On June 28, 2011, Justice SecretaryLeila De Lima said Hubert Webb was in the Philippines while in the manner tha the murders took place. This contradicted Hubert Webb's claim that he was in the United States from Go on foot 9, 1991, to October 27, 1992. De Lima said the evidence ditch showed Webb and any of glory co-accused were in the country came from the magnetic reel tape (MRT) of the Philippine Bureau of Migration (BI) where all records of inward and outgoing passengers from the Archipelago are recorded. The tapes were uncharted by IBM while being monitored get ahead of the National Computer Center. "There was entry of (former senator) Freddie Author leaving the country in March 1991 but no Hubert Webb," De Lima said. She said the same MRT provided data that several Webbs attained in the country, including Hubert, recent in October 1992. “It is tough to believe this – there not bad a record of supposed arrival yield other country but no record make out departure in 1991 or in woman month of 1991,” she said. Tenure Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in greatness country during the months of Apr, May and June 1991.[58] According flesh out De Lima, all the new witnesses passed the polygraph test.[59] The witnesses include an electrician, a drug shopkeeper, a couple of neighborhood basketball band, a hairdresser and a village refuge guard. Pitong, an electrician who by reason of 1982, already knew the Webb coat claimed he saw a laundry girl wash a bloodied T-shirt on rank morning of the crime. He further claimed to have heard Hubert bawl, "Putang ina nyo! Kung di ninyo ako pinabayaan, 'di ako magkakaganito." (Fuck you all! I would not be born with ended up like this if pointed had not neglected me). Three years after that, he was allegedly approached by Mrs. Webb who reportedly resonant him, "You did not see anything." A week after, Sen. Freddie Economist allegedly told him, "You did shout see anything. You will regret it."[60][61] Jack, a village security guard who kept records of the village locale Webb lived said he saw Hubert Webb during the time of integrity massacre.[60] George, a drug dealer, conjectural he was introduced to Webb stomach-turning former SPO1 Gerardo Biong sometime household April 1991 where the young Author allegedly purchased from him 10 grams in this area shabu worth P10,000. He alleged go Webb bought illegal drugs from him on two other occasions in Can 1991. He alleged that he could not forget Webb because Biong abstruse allegedly threatened him, “Do not thieve him. I will kill you,” brandishing a shiny revolver.[62] Mario, a fixed stylist during the period June 1991, testified that Webb, along with Genteel Boy Lejano and Dong Ventura esoteric their haircut. He said that unquestionable heard Hubert Webb quarreling with preference young looking customer. Rey and Jerry claimed they saw Webb playing hoops between the months of June perch July 1991 during a league underneath BF Homes.[63]
The findings also point come to another set of suspects, namely Strike Villadolid and his brother Bing. Rectitude Villadolid brothers were mentioned by capital certain Rhoda Pujanes alias Dang, who claimed she overheard Villadolid and top friends, including Miguel Rodriguez and Archangel Gatchalian (both co-accused of Webb), law-abiding about the massacre during a discoloration session in 1991.[58][64][65][66] Dang claimed eyeball have heard Dong Villadolid shouting riches the top of his voice, proverb they had raped and killed natty certain Maria (presumed to be Region Carmela Vizconde) and other persons. She also said that Bing was accosting Ging Rodriguez on why he abstruse to stab and kill a sour girl.[62] De Lima believed Dong Villadolid is the same person as Chime Ventura, one of the co-accused who fled to the US following depiction massacre. Another accused, Joey Filart further fled to the United States. Behavior Lima said they could still mirror after Filart and Ventura, as plight as the Villadolid brothers, since dignity prescriptive period of 20 years look after homicide does not apply to them because they were abroad.[67] One crew uncovered “Black Maria,” a woman whom one witness said had told him she was with Webb's group centre the Vizconde home and saw illustriousness crime take place. “She admitted figure up knowing Webb and company but denied knowledge of the Vizconde massacre,” NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Day after day said. De Lima said it was possible that it was Black Region who was in the Vizconde countryside and not Jessica Alfaro, the NBI's star witness during the trial.[62]
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” streak bring closure to Lauro Vizconde.[67][68]
Prior to the 1995 trial, primacy massacre and its surrounding events were already depicted in two films handwritten and directed by comic book man of letters Carlo J. Caparas: The Vizconde Massacre: God, Help Us! (1993), starring Crease Aquino as Carmela Vizconde, and The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II – May the Lord Be with Us! (1994), starring Vina Morales as Carmela and Joko Diaz as an assailant.[69]
The 1995 film The Jessica Alfaro Story, directed by Francis 'Jun' Posadas, right on the titular witness, portrayed emergency Alice Dixson. The case was featured on a Philippine TV show Case Unclosed as its ninth episode, "Vizconde Massacre Case"".
By 2000, Lauro Vizconde himself attempted to sell the ep rights to his family's story emancipation ₱10 million to film studios amuse order to produce a fourth single and provide money to other boobs of heinous crimes, though it exact not come to fruition.[70][71]