MANILA, Philippines—Supreme Court spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said he was standing his ground.
The family of recently released Hubert Webb was free to criticize him for saying that the high court’s decision acquitting Webb and his fellow accused in the Vizconde massacre did not mean that they were innocent of the crime, said Marquez.
“I stand my ground. If they feel that way, then they’re free to feel that way. I’ve been spokesman for the longest time and I am just doing my job,” Marquez said in a press conference sought by reporters who wanted to get his side after the Webb family’s statement appeared online.
ABS-CBN online on Sunday quoted the Webb family as saying that they “deplore” the statement of Marquez that the acquittal of Webb did not mean he was innocent of the charges.”
The Webbs said the “personal opinion” of Marquez was “uncalled for” and that it was not his “place to interpret the decision of the Supreme Court.”
Marquez, however, said his explanations of court decisions to reporters covering the justice beat are “based on jurisprudence” and are not his personal opinions.
Marquez said none of the Supreme Court magistrates, from Chief Justice Renato Corona to the associate justices, had called his attention to his explanation of their decision.
“No one has called my attention—from among the justices, not any of the associate justices, not the Chief Justice. I am just doing my job in the best way I know how,” Marquez said.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who has been tasked to reinvestigate the Vizconde massacre, said she received a “tip” that Artemio Ventura, one of the fugitive-accused in the murders, may not have been the name of the person who was being hunted.
Another accused, Joey Filart, also remains at large.
“I got information, just a tip, about Ventura. His name in the (police) blotter was Artemio Ventura. But the tip I got says his name was Conde Ventura or Don Ventura. So there was a mistake,” she told reporters.
De Lima Monday met with special agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and police investigating teams tasked to handle the reinvestigation.
Since the 20-year prescription period for the prosecution of the crime will end in six months, De Lima expressed the hope that the special investigators could still solve the 1991 murders.
“Our priority is to really find out the truth (and get) the real perpetrators,” she said.
According to De Lima, the reinvestigation would also look into allegations that some unscrupulous NBI officials had connived with Alfaro to make up stories against Webb and the others.
The family of recently released Hubert Webb was free to criticize him for saying that the high court’s decision acquitting Webb and his fellow accused in the Vizconde massacre did not mean that they were innocent of the crime, said Marquez.
“I stand my ground. If they feel that way, then they’re free to feel that way. I’ve been spokesman for the longest time and I am just doing my job,” Marquez said in a press conference sought by reporters who wanted to get his side after the Webb family’s statement appeared online.
ABS-CBN online on Sunday quoted the Webb family as saying that they “deplore” the statement of Marquez that the acquittal of Webb did not mean he was innocent of the charges.”
The Webbs said the “personal opinion” of Marquez was “uncalled for” and that it was not his “place to interpret the decision of the Supreme Court.”
Marquez, however, said his explanations of court decisions to reporters covering the justice beat are “based on jurisprudence” and are not his personal opinions.
Marquez said none of the Supreme Court magistrates, from Chief Justice Renato Corona to the associate justices, had called his attention to his explanation of their decision.
“No one has called my attention—from among the justices, not any of the associate justices, not the Chief Justice. I am just doing my job in the best way I know how,” Marquez said.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who has been tasked to reinvestigate the Vizconde massacre, said she received a “tip” that Artemio Ventura, one of the fugitive-accused in the murders, may not have been the name of the person who was being hunted.
Another accused, Joey Filart, also remains at large.
“I got information, just a tip, about Ventura. His name in the (police) blotter was Artemio Ventura. But the tip I got says his name was Conde Ventura or Don Ventura. So there was a mistake,” she told reporters.
De Lima Monday met with special agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and police investigating teams tasked to handle the reinvestigation.
Since the 20-year prescription period for the prosecution of the crime will end in six months, De Lima expressed the hope that the special investigators could still solve the 1991 murders.
“Our priority is to really find out the truth (and get) the real perpetrators,” she said.
According to De Lima, the reinvestigation would also look into allegations that some unscrupulous NBI officials had connived with Alfaro to make up stories against Webb and the others.
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