Hubert Webb, et al, acquitted

The next INBOX question of The Philippine Star is:  What is your reaction to the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Hubert  Webb, et al. in the celebrated Vizconde massacre case?

Yesterday, when I heard over the radio the news that the Supreme Court had released its decision acquitting the suspects, I was infuriated.  What about the testimonies of the witnesses Jessica Alfaro, the security guards of the village, and the former maid of the Webbs?  Were they lying?

The news and radio commentators talked about  the inconsistencies in Jessica Alfaro’s testimonies, and the official US Immigration records showing that Hubert left the Philippines on March 6, 1991 for the US and returned on October 26, 1992, which indicated that he was not in the country when the massacre occurred on June 29, 1991.

However,  Midas Marquez, the spokesman of the Supreme Court, said that the acquittal of the suspects did not mean that they were innocent; they were acquitted because it was not proven beyond reasonable doubt that they were guilty.

My heart goes out to Lauro Vizconde who had waited in vain all these years for justice to be given to his family.  If it is true that Hubert and his companions did not do it, the killers are still at large.

It is true that there is no perfect justice in this world.  The judges of the RTC, Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court are human beings, so they may be wrong in their verdict.  But there is one true Judge.  The criminals may escape justice here on earth, but no one can escape God’s judgment.

Mr. Vizconde must rest from all these, no wailing can unravel the past, including the decision of the Supreme Court.  His family is gone.  He must commit this to God, who is the perfect Judge, who will mete out the perfect punishment for the criminals of his family.

God had said, “It is mine to avenge, I will repay.  In due time, their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” Deuteronomy 32:35