The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday said it will form a special investigation team to assist in the reinvestigation of the Vizconde massacre case following the acquittal of seven people, including a former senator’s son, who were earlier convicted for the crime.
PNP chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said he has asked the Chief of the Directorial Staff and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to organize the team to conduct parallel investigation on the 19-year-old rape-murder case. The order came six months before the case reaches its 20-year prescriptive period on June 30, 2011.
Among those acquitted by the Supreme Court last week was Hubert Webb, son of former Senator Freddie Webb. Webb and his six co-accused were convicted by a Parañaque court for the killing of Estrellita Vizconde and her daughters Carmela and Jennifer on June 30, 1991.
DIDM Director Arturo Cacdac was tasked to supervise the Special Investigation Team to be composed of crime investigators from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), forensic examiners from the Crime Laboratory, and operatives from intelligence and investigative units of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).
Bacalzo said the team will closely coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the reinvestigation.
He said other PNP personnel, units and resources will be available to support the operations of the Special Investigation Team.
Bacalzo said he is confident that the new investigation would be able to identify and indict the suspects before reaching the prescriptive period.
Malacañang had earlier ordered the DOJ, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the PNP and the NBI to reinvestigate the high-profile crime. The memorandum issued by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. ordered the said agencies to "conduct a thorough investigation of the case, utilizing all available resources at your disposal to finally solve the same with the end-in-view of apprehending and prosecuting the authors of the crime." - Jerrie M. Abella/KBK
