Hubert glad to be home for Christmas

MANILA, Philippines - The family of Hubert Webb, including his now 17-year-old son, is happy that he will finally be home for Christmas – after 15 years in prison for a crime the Supreme Court (SC) said he should not pay for.

“We are deeply grateful to the Supreme Court for this vindication. We are also thankful to our lawyers, the Ongkiko Manhit Custodio and Acorda Law Offices, for joining us in our fight for justice,” the Webb family said in a statement.

The family headed by former senator Freddie Webb hailed the SC decision acquitting his son, describing the ruling as “judicious” because it was based solely on the evidence.

The Webbs said the SC upheld “very strong (pieces of) testimonial and documentary evidence” that included official immigration records showing Hubert left the country on March 6, 1991 for the US and returned on Oct. 26, 1992, indicating that he was not in the country during the period when the massacre occurred on June 29, 1991.

“The Supreme Court justices also decided correctly in not giving credence to bogus eyewitness testimony of Jessica Alfaro who has lied several times under oath and has made two contradictory affidavits,” the Webbs said.

The family pointed out Alfaro had admitted that she did not enter the Vizconde house and could not therefore have been an eyewitness to the crime.

The Webbs’ statement, however, hinted at retribution against the people that helped keep Hubert in prison for 15 years.

“Those who are responsible for the wrongful incarceration of my son should not be allowed to get away with it with impunity. We will continue with our fight for justice by making those who are responsible to be held liable and fully accountable for the wrong conviction of an innocent man,” the family said.

The Webbs clarified that they only want to make sure that the travesty of justice they had suffered would not happen to others.

“Our family is pained that Hubert, who was 27 years old when the case began, is now 42 years old and has wasted the prime years of his youth languishing in jail for a crime he did not commit,” they said.

The Webbs though extended their sympathy to Lauro Vizconde, but appealed for his understanding that “his quest for justice should not be done at the expense of the innocent.”