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The National Bureau of Investigation's task force reinvestigating the Vizconde massacre has started scrutinizing passport used by Hubert Webb when he supposedly left the country when the killings of Estrellita, Carmela, and Jennifer Vizconde were carried out in 1991.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Webb's camp has submitted his original passport for scrutiny. She added that the passport is a crucial piece of evidence because it was what Webb used as a defense when he was being prosecuted for the Vizconde murders.
"As you see, it is very crucial for the task force to verify the veracity of the defense of alibi of Webb before the courts. It is how crucial this process is in verifying the authenticity of relevant documents presented by Webb's lawyer," De Lima said.
"The NBI is taking photos of the original passport. It's now being examined in the presence of [Webb's] counsels," she added.
This page requires a higher version browser The Paranaque Regional Trial Court had convicted Webb and six other men in 2000. Five years later, the Court of Appeals sustained the guilty verdict. But the Supreme Court, in December 2010, acquitted Webb and the six other co-accused.
Instead of lending credence to the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro, the SC gave weight to Webb's defense of alibi that he was in the United States when the massacre occurred. Among the pieces of evidence Webb presented was photocopies of his passport.
On Tuesday, De Lima added: "In casting doubt in the credibility of Alfaro, the SC has actually sustained Webb's alibi. It's either Webb was within the country or in the United States at the time of the incident."
Asked whether Webb's submission of his passport was the breakthrough De Lima mentioned weeks ago, the Justice chief replied: "The breakthrough comes in several components. I cannot yet disclose."
She added that the joint NBI and Philippine National Police is still continuing their investigation on the two other sets of suspects in the Vizconde massacre.
The government started a reinvestigation of the murders after the Supreme Court acquitted Webb and his six other co-accused. The SC said that the suspects' guilt was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
De Lima, however, said that the SC's ruling has not put a closure on the murders because the high court only ruled that the guilt of the suspects was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Prescription period
Last year, legal experts said that if the government uncovers the identities of the suspects in the 1991 Vizconde massacre, it only has until June 30, 2011 to lodge a new case. [See: Govt has until June 2011 to file new cases for Vizconde massacre]
The Revised Penal Code (RPC) dictates that crimes like the Vizconde massacre carry a "prescription period" of 20 years.
A prescription period sets the limit for filing charges from the time that the crime occurred.
"Crimes punishable by reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) shall prescribe in 20 years," says Article 90 of the RPC.
"After 20 years, you can no longer prosecute because if the offense was committed in 1991... no charges can be filed anymore after June 30, 2011," SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said .
Theodore Te, University of the Philippines law professor, underscored the urgency of filing new cases should the government track down new suspects in the case.
"If they're going to come up with a new set of suspects, they better do that quickly. They better charge quickly," he added. — RSJ, GMA News
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Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Webb's camp has submitted his original passport for scrutiny. She added that the passport is a crucial piece of evidence because it was what Webb used as a defense when he was being prosecuted for the Vizconde murders.
"As you see, it is very crucial for the task force to verify the veracity of the defense of alibi of Webb before the courts. It is how crucial this process is in verifying the authenticity of relevant documents presented by Webb's lawyer," De Lima said.
"The NBI is taking photos of the original passport. It's now being examined in the presence of [Webb's] counsels," she added.
This page requires a higher version browser The Paranaque Regional Trial Court had convicted Webb and six other men in 2000. Five years later, the Court of Appeals sustained the guilty verdict. But the Supreme Court, in December 2010, acquitted Webb and the six other co-accused.
Instead of lending credence to the testimony of star witness Jessica Alfaro, the SC gave weight to Webb's defense of alibi that he was in the United States when the massacre occurred. Among the pieces of evidence Webb presented was photocopies of his passport.
On Tuesday, De Lima added: "In casting doubt in the credibility of Alfaro, the SC has actually sustained Webb's alibi. It's either Webb was within the country or in the United States at the time of the incident."
Asked whether Webb's submission of his passport was the breakthrough De Lima mentioned weeks ago, the Justice chief replied: "The breakthrough comes in several components. I cannot yet disclose."
She added that the joint NBI and Philippine National Police is still continuing their investigation on the two other sets of suspects in the Vizconde massacre.
The government started a reinvestigation of the murders after the Supreme Court acquitted Webb and his six other co-accused. The SC said that the suspects' guilt was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
De Lima, however, said that the SC's ruling has not put a closure on the murders because the high court only ruled that the guilt of the suspects was not proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Prescription period
Last year, legal experts said that if the government uncovers the identities of the suspects in the 1991 Vizconde massacre, it only has until June 30, 2011 to lodge a new case. [See: Govt has until June 2011 to file new cases for Vizconde massacre]
The Revised Penal Code (RPC) dictates that crimes like the Vizconde massacre carry a "prescription period" of 20 years.
A prescription period sets the limit for filing charges from the time that the crime occurred.
"Crimes punishable by reclusion perpetua (life imprisonment) shall prescribe in 20 years," says Article 90 of the RPC.
"After 20 years, you can no longer prosecute because if the offense was committed in 1991... no charges can be filed anymore after June 30, 2011," SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said .
Theodore Te, University of the Philippines law professor, underscored the urgency of filing new cases should the government track down new suspects in the case.
"If they're going to come up with a new set of suspects, they better do that quickly. They better charge quickly," he added. — RSJ, GMA News
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]