They called it the ‘trial of the century’: Six privileged kids nabbed for three gruesome murders. Today, 19 years after the killings that occurred south of Manila, the main suspect was acquitted. Was justice served?
Hubert Webb, son of a prominent former politician, and five others, were convicted in 1995 of stabbing to death of Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela, 18, and Jennifer, 7, in 1991.
(Read: “Philippine Mass Murder: Politicians and Monster.”)
The country’s highest court today ruled that Webb and his alleged accomplices were not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt during their highly publicized trial 15 years ago. The verdict sent shock-waves through the country, as rumors of a payoff swirled. “Philippine Justice is so unfair and unprofessional. I will keep praying for JUSTICE in Vizconde massacre case,” read one typical Twitter post.
“I know how hopeless it is to hope for justice to prevail if this is the kind of process we have here in the Phils,” read another.
Webb and his supporters denied the family’s influence played any part in the acquittal.”Since the start, they said that my father was very powerful and that he could buy off anything,” Webb said at a press conference on Tuesday.”Since the very start, we said that we were innocent. We believed in the system that’s why we underwent the process. We did not run. We are here for 15 years.”
Webb is expected to be released within the day. (via ABS-CBN)
(Read: ‘A Year After Massacre, the Philippines Still Waits for Justice.’)