Vizconde massacre timeline

(Use scroll bar on the left to arrange timeline by month, year, etc.)

MANILA, Philippines - June 30, 1991 – Night of the murder

Found dead inside their residence along Vinzons Street, BF Homes Subdivision, Parañaque City were Estrellita Vizconde, 47 (who suffered 13 stab wounds); Carmela Vizconde, 18 (17 stab wounds with evidence of rape); and Jennifer Vizconde, 7 (19 stab wounds).

Sept. 27, 1991 - Police invite 5 men for questioning

Southern Police District police invite 5 men for questioning after a witness near the Vizconde residence allegedly saw them before the massacre took place. Among them was Hubert Webb, son of then Congressman Freddie Webb. The other four were Cas Yap, Miguel Rodriguez, Michael Gatchalian and Randolf Nanong.

Oct. 20, 1991 - Five Vizconde slay suspects arrested

Five suspects in the killing are arrested: Ben Baydo, the alleged mastermind, Angelito Santos, Rolando Mendoza, Robert Barasso and his brother Bellardo Jr.      

June 14, 1993 - Vizconde Massacre solved; ‘brains,’ three others fall

Police finish investigation of the Vizconde case with the arrest of the suspected mastermind and three other suspects, two of them policemen.

Arrested are engineer Danilo Agwas, the alleged mastermind; SPO3 Angel Viaje, PO3 Rodolfo Colado and Ruben Pineda, a civilian.   

June 24, 1993 - PACC takes over probe

July 16, 1993 – DOJ dismisses case against second batch of suspects

The case against the second batch of suspects was based on extra-judicial confessions of accused Rodolfo Collado and Angel Viaje who claimed they were tortured by Parañaque police while under detention.

Aug. 16, 1995 – Fifth Vizconde suspect yields

Another principal suspect in the 1991 Vizconde Massacre surrenders to the police. Michael Gatchalian, 27, is the fifth suspect to be placed in police custody after Hubert Webb, Peter Estrada, Pyke Fernandez and Miguel Rodriguez.

Aug. 21, 1995 – Biong surrenders to NBI

Former Parañaque policeman Gerardo Biong, charged in court as an accessory to the murders, surrenders.

Biong was dismissed from the service by the National Police Commission in 1993 after he was found guilty of bungling the investigation by causing the destruction of evidence at the crime scene.

Sept. 4, 1995 – Webb and six others plead not guilty during arraignment

Dec. 14, 1995 - Webbs’ laundry woman new Vizconde witness

A former laundrywoman for the Webb family takes the stand as a witness for the prosecution. Mila Gaviola’s testimony centers on her claim that she washed a bloody shirt belonging to Hubert Webb, the morning after the murders.

Jan. 6, 2000 – RTC judge hands down verdict on Vizconde massacre case

Judge Amelita Tolentino hands down a 186-page decision declaring Hubert Webb and his co-accused Michael Gatchalian, Hospicio Fernandez, Peter Estrada, Antonio Lejano and Miguel Rodriguez guilty and sentences them to life in. They are also ordered to pay the Vizconde family P3 million in damages.

Biong is found guilty of tampering with evidence and sentenced to 15 years.

Dec. 15, 2005 - CA upholds ruling on Vizconde slays

The Court of Appeals (CA) upholds the decision of a Parañaque City court convicting Webb and the others accused of the massacre.

The CA also upholds Judge Tolentino’s ruling finding Biong guilty as an accessory.

Jan. 3, 2006 - Cop in Vizconde case seeks verdict reversal

Biong asks the Court of Appeals to reverse its decision.

Through his lawyer, Biong said the claims of star witness Jessica Alfaro that he had worked as a driver-employee of former Sen. Freddie Webb were based only on gossip.

Nov. 17, 2006 - SC grants Vizconde appeal more time

The Supreme Court grants the request of the CA for more time to review the pending motions for recommendations of those convicted for the massacre. Capital punishment was abolished earlier in the year.

April 22, 2010 - Supreme Court orders DNA testing in Vizconde slay case

Supreme Court orders the reopening of the case and grants the request of convicted killer Webb for the forensic examination of evidence.

In a resolution unanimously approved by the justices during their summer session in Baguio City, the SC grants Webb’s request for the DNA testing of the semen specimen taken from the body of rape-slay victim Carmela Vizconde.

April 23, 2010 - NBI executive orders physical inventory of evidence

A National Bureau of Investigation official has ordered a physical inventory of evidence in the Vizconde murder case following the SC’s order to reopen the case. But three days later the NBI admits it does not have the semen taken from the body of Carmela but that it had turned it over to the Parañaque RTC in 1996.

Earlier, the Parañaque court’s staff reported to the SC that the specimen is not in their custody.

Nov. 29, 2010 - Vizconde cop now a free man 

Biong walks out of the New Bilibid Prisons a free man. Biong, 60, was among the 124 prisoners freed from NBP following the recommendation of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

Dec. 14, 2010 - SC acquits Webb, 6 others in Vizconde massacre - Research by philstar.com