MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — The son of a former senator and one of the accused in the Vizconde massacre, Hubert Webb, was freed Tuesday, looking forward to spending Christmas in his own home and with his family.
At the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City, relatives and friends as well as print and broadcast reporters conducted a stake-out waiting for the ruling and the delivery of the papers from the SC ordering the release of Webb.
Webb’s father, former Sen. Freddie Webb, his mother Elizabeth and siblings, Fritz, Jason and sister broadcast journalist Pinky were all waiting at the NBP, along with the relatives of his co-accused, including Antonio Lejano’s mother, Pinky, Lara Melissa De Leon and his uncle, actor and Batangas provincial board member Christopher De Leon.
The release papers got into the desk of Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) Director General (ret.) Ernesto Diokno at about 3:34 in the afternoon and he signed it at 3:47.
“Ito ang pinakahuling signature at makakalabas na sila. Wala nang balakid sa kanilang paglaya (This is the latest signature and they could leave. No obstacle to set them free),” Diokno said adding that, aside from him, his two deputies also affixed their signatures.
Webb’s co-accused — Lejano, Michael Gatchalian, Pyke Fernandez, Miguel Rodriguez and Peter Estrada have also walked free. Gerardo Biong was earlier released from prison after completing his sentence.
Former Senator Webb said their family will drop by the Church first to thank God for Hubert’s freedom. But through all these, he said he also shares Lauro Vizconde’s grief in his search for justice.
“I share his grief, but my son has nothing to do with his family. Our statement would be I wish we knew the real perpetrators. We have no knowledge whatsoever. Bakit nga ba hindi, kung makakatulong (If we could help them, why not?),” he said.
A press conference was held inside the NBP immediately thereafter, where Webb and the other accused were finally given their release papers in the presence of their relatives.
A beaming Hubert showed his release to the media and he was hugged by his father and elder brother, Fritz.
They were then led outside with Hubert boarding the family car with his father at past 4 p.m. to be taken to their house for his first taste of freedom after spending 15 years in jail.
They then proceeded to the St. Joseph Church in Parañaque to hear a Mass.
Before he was released, Hubert faced the media where he said the feeling was “surreal” since he was still inside the NBP but added he was thankful that the “truth has finally come out.”
“May tagalog bang salita for surreal kasi yun ang nararamdaman ko ngayon pero nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos na lumabas ang totoo (Is there a Tagalog word for that's the surreal because I feel now but I thank God that the truth came out),” Hubert said.
He added that he and his co-accused never lost faith in the system despite the difficulties they have gone through during their long period of incarceration.
Tuesday's SC ruling came two weeks after Biong, a convicted accessory in the Vizconde massacre case, was released from detention after completing his jail term.
Biong was imprisoned in 1995 after he supposedly tampered with the evidence when he burned bloodied bed sheets at the crime scene. He was later convicted in 2000.
Not only the Vizcondes, their relatives, friends and supporters expressed their reactions at the acquittal but also the online Filipino community have taken to various social networking sites.
Manila Bulletin
