2 SC justices asked to go on leave pending Vizconde decision

The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Sunday asked two Supreme Court justices to go on leave ahead of the high court's imminent resolution of the 1991 Vizconde massacre case. The group is chaired by Lauro Vizconde, who lost his wife and two daughters in the killings. The VACC asked Justice Antonio Carpio, whom Vizconde has accused of lobbying for the acquittal of Hubert Webb, and his cousin Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to take a leave while the case is being decided to avoid undue influence on the court's decision. “Si Justice Carpio ay tumestigo in favor of Hubert Webb noong ordinaryong lawyer pa lang siya. Ang pangamba ni Lauro Vizconde meron siyang kalaban sa loob ng Supreme Court," VACC President Dante Jimenez told a press conference Sunday. On Friday, SC spokesman Jose Midas Marquez branded Vizconde's allegation against Carpio as "hearsay" and said the justice would not comment on it. "We all know that this case is about to be resolved. The court, anytime, will be deciding this case, so we hope that parties will refrain from coming out with unsubstantiated allegations," he added. Carpio had testified in favor of Webb when the Vizconde case was being heard by the Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274, long before he was appointed to the high court. Webb was convicted in 2000 for the massacre, and when it was brought to the Supreme Court, Carpio inhibited himself from the case. Meanwhile, the father of Webb said his son is bothered about the reports regarding alleged lobbying on his behalf. “Sabi niya [Hubert], ‘Di ba that’s unfair?’ Isa lang siguro ang pupuntahan namin. Hindi kami pupunta sa isang miyembro o sa isang kaibigan. Pupunta kami sa Diyos," former Senator Freddie Webb said in an exclusive interview aired over GMA News' 24 Oras on Sunday. The former senator expressed optimism about the case. “There’s anxiety, but we are very confident that it [the decision] will go in our favor. An acquittal is due already," he said. - Andreo Calonzo/YA, GMANews.TV