Lauro Vizconde is not yet in the mood to celebrate the latest breakthrough in the reinvestigation of the murders of his wife, Estrellita, and daughters Carmela and Anna Marie Jennifer.
In a statement, Vizconde’s counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said his client is “guardedly optimistic” about this latest development.
“Mr. Lauro Vizconde is guardedly optimistic about the reports saying that a new witness has come out to testify regarding the events that transpired in connection with the murder of his wife and two daughters.
“While we welcome the continued efforts of the Department of Justice to have the case revived before it finally prescribes in June of this year, Mr. Vizconde hopes that the investigation will not lead to another dead end as it has in the past. He hopes and prays that the new witness will shed light on what really happened so that he may attain closure on this matter as he enters the twilight of his years,” Topacio said.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima announced another breakthrough in the reinvestigation Thursday but refused to give details.
Today, de Lima confirmed meeting the witness during the Vizconde case conference at the Department of Justice(DOJ) with the National Bureau of Investigation(NBI) and the Philippine National Police(PNP)-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group(CIDG).
“The witness was there, but for obvious reasons, for security reasons, kailangan muna kasi ma-maintain ang confidentiality. We cannot yet disclose kasi siyempre hindi madali yung lalantad ka at this point,” de Lima said.
This witness, a female, executed a sworn statement and has agreed to a polygraph test.
Asked if the witness’s testimony is substantial, de Lima said: “Hindi ko muna pwedeng sabihin yan kaya nga (nag-utos) ako na ipa-polygraph. Kasi kung pumasa siya sa polygraph, then malaking bagay yan at yan na nga yan.”
The justice chief said the reinvestigation should provide closure and not raise more questions, thus the need to be careful in validating witnesses, evidence and information.
“If it’s not conclusive, if it will raise more questions than answers, we better not release the results. Kasi mahirap yan lalo na kung ang resulta ay iba sa desisyon ng Supreme Court because it’s not easy to refute the Supreme Court because that’s a judicial body and nakapagsalita na sila…with finality na yung desisyon nila na acquitted na sina (Hubert) Webb based on reasonable doubt,” de Lima said.
Hubert Webb and 6 others were acquitted by the high court December of last year for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Source: Abs-cbn News
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/05/06/11/vizconde-guardedly-optimistic-about-new-massacre-witness
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