Once again the Vizconde Massacre is front page news. The Supreme Court is deliberating whether or not to uphold a court of appeals ruling to send Hubert Webb and others to a life sentence for the murder of Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela, 18, and Jennifer, 7, in June 1991.
Lauro Vizconde, the husband who was out of the country during that time, is now claiming that an associate justice is lobbying his peers for acquittal. Meanwhile, supporters of Hubert Webb have put up a Facebook page declaring his innocence.
It is good that the Supreme Court had asked for more time to review the case. If Hubert Webb and his co-accused are guilty, then by all means they deserve a life sentence many times over. But if they are innocent, there is nothing more terrible than sending the innocent to prison.
We sympathize with Lauro Vizconde. It is difficult to comprehend the pain he went through in discovering the murder of his family. Yet, it would be equally painful for the Webb family if Hubert where to go to prison an innocent man.
Thus, the Supreme Court must be given the trust to deliberate this sensitive case without trying to preempt a decision. Emotions must be kept at bay and public utterances be stilled.
Otherwise we may not see justice but the massacre of truth.
