Ex-senator Webb belies Vizconde bribery claim

MANILA, Philippines –  Former senator Freddie Webb yesterday broke his silence on the allegation made by Lauro Vizconde that P50 million was allegedly offered as “lobby money” to justices of the Court of Appeals (CA) and the Supreme Court (SC) by his family to secure the freedom of his son, Hubert.

In a press conference held at the office of the Ongkiko Manhit Custodio and Acorda law firm in Makati City, Webb said he had put much thought on whether or not to publicly answer Vizconde’s allegation. “Iif I don’t answer this accusation, it would give the impression that silence is a sign of guilt,” he said. “I would like to state that neither I nor any member of my family offered a P50-million bribe to any of the justices.”

Webb also lashed at out Vizconde for “peddling vicious lies” and asked why it took the widower five years to come out with his revelation on the alleged bribe offer to the justices and about his alleged conversation with SC Justice Jose Mendoza in 2006.

“If he truly believes that his accusations are true, then I challenge him to file the necessary charges... It is therefore suspicious that it took him five years to make all these accusations, and only after the Supreme Court had rendered a decision that was not in his favor,” he said.

Court Administrator and SC spokesman Midas Marquez earlier said all magistrates named by Vizconde as being privy to the purported lobby funds – Mendoza, SC Justice Lucas Bersamin and CA Justice Japar Dimaampao – have denied the allegation they met with the widower and talked about his case in 2006.

Hubert’s lawyer, Demetrio Custodio, Jr. said they sue witness Jessica Alfaro for giving false testimony in a criminal case by next week.

Custodio said the case against Alfaro is only the first of a series of complaints to be filed by the Webb family against the other witnesses in the massacre of Vizconde’s wife and daughters in 1991.