Vizconde massacre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

The Vizconde massacre was the multiple murder of members of the Vizconde family; Estrellita, Carmela and Anna Marie Jennifer, on June 30, 1991 at their dwelling in BF Homes, Parañaque, Philippines. Carmela Vizconde was raped before she was murdered. Lauro Vizconde, the father, was in the United States for business when the murders took place.

The case became one of the most sensational in the country mostly because the accused were children of rich and influential families, including Hubert Webb who is the son of the former Philippine Senator Freddie Webb and Antonio Lejano who is the son of actress-singer Pinky de Leon and nephew of actor Christopher de Leon.

The case remained unsolved for almost four years until witness Jessica Alfaro surfaced on April 28, 1995 to shed light on the killing of the Vizcondes. Alfaro testified that she knew the suspects and was at the Vizconde house when the crime was committed.

On January 6, 2000, the presiding judge in the case rendered her decision, sentencing Hubert Webb, Peter Estrada, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Antonio Lejano II and Miguel Rodriguez to life imprisonment. They were also ordered to indemnify the Vizconde family Php 3 million for the murders.

Also found guilty of burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime was Gerardo Biong, a Paranaque City policeman. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Two of the accused remain fugitives from the law; Joey Filart and Artemio Ventura.

The Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling on December 16, 2004.