case brief. webb
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7/28/2019 Case Brief. Webb
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A Case Brief
ANTONIO LEJANO, Petitioner, vs. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Respondent.
G.R. No. 176389
PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Appellee, vs. HUBERT JEFFREY P. WEBB,
ANTONIO LEJANO, MICHAEL A. GATCHALIAN, HOSPICIO FERNANDEZ,
MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ, PETER ESTRADA and GERARDO BIONG, Appellants.
G.R. No. 176864
FACTS: On June 30, 1991 Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela,
nineteen years old, and Jennifer, seven, were brutally slain at their home in
Paraaque City. Following an intense investigation, the police arrested a group of
suspects, the Barrosso group, an Akyat Bahay gang, some of whom gave
detailed confessions. But the trial court smelled a frame-up and eventually
ordered them discharged. Four years later in 1995, the National Bureau of
Investigation presented Jessica Alfaro as the state witness who described the
crime and positively identified all the suspects who committed the crime. Thedefense however, questioned the credibility of Alfaro, being a drug dependent
and being an NBI asset who is skilled to concoct information. Likewise, during
the trial, Webbs alibi appeared the strongest since he claimed that he was then
across the ocean in the United States of America. He presented the testimonies
of witnesses as well as documentary and object evidence to prove this.
The trial court rendered judgment in 1994, finding all the accused guilty as
charged. On appeal, the Court of Appeals affirmed the trial courts decision. The
appellate court did not agree that the accused were tried by publicity or that the
trial judge was biased. On motion for reconsideration by the accused, the Court
of Appeals' Special Division of five members voted three against two to deny the
motion,
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hence, the present appeal.
http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2010/dec2010/gr_176389_2010.html#fnt5http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2010/dec2010/gr_176389_2010.html#fnt5http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2010/dec2010/gr_176389_2010.html#fnt5http://www.lawphil.net/judjuris/juri2010/dec2010/gr_176389_2010.html#fnt5 -
7/28/2019 Case Brief. Webb
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ISSUE: Whether or not Webbs defense of alibi and denial can rebut Alfaros
testimony of positive identification that may lead to his acquittal.
HELD: Yes. The Supreme Court held that the defense of alibi of Webb rebuts the
testimony of positive identification of Alfaro that leads to his acquittal.
REASONS FOR DECISION: The trial courts and the Court of Appeals reason that
Webbs alibi cannot stand against Alfaros positive identification of him and thatWebbs denial and alibi were fabricated was demolished by the Supreme Court.
It ruled that not all denials and alibis should be regarded as the weakest defense
as it could be easily fabricated and difficult to disprove. Indeed, if the accused is
truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. The conclusion
that a positive declaration from a witness that he saw the accused commit the
crime should not automatically cancel out the accuseds claim that he did not doit. The elements to establish alibi that the accused must prove by positive, clear,
and satisfactory evidence; that he was present at another place at the time of the
perpetration of the crime; and that it was physically impossible for him to be at
the scene of the crime, were all regarded as facts and have evidentiary value that
would support for the acquittal of the accused.
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