Ending his 15-year incarceration, a convicted accessory in the Vizconde massacre on Tuesday was released from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City after serving his full sentence. Former PO1 Gerado Biong walked out of the NBP's minimum security compound shortly before noon, with no other words but praises to God. "Salamat po sa ating pinakamamahal na Panginoon... Masaya po ako dahil ipinagkaloob ng ating Panginoon ang paglaya natin," said Biong, who became a Christian while in jail. Interviewed over radio dzBB, Biong said he has been a member of the Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry, led by evangelist Wilde Almeda, ever since he was jailed. Biong was detained at the Parañaque City Jail on September 5, 1995 after being charged for burning the bloodied bed sheets found at the crime scene, where the members of the Vizconde family were killed in 1991.
On Jan. 6, 2000, Biong was convicted for being an accessory to the crime and was transferred to the national penitentiary, where he spent the decade in jail before his release on Tuesday. When asked what was the biggest lesson he learned in the 15 years that he was in detention, Biong replied:
"Nang makilala ko ang ating pinakamamahal na Jesus." He said he became a preacher while inside the penitentiary and vowed to continue doing religious work after his release.
'Amen, Amen, Amen' When asked if he had missed his family, an excited-sounding Biong said in a radio dzBB interview: "Amen, Amen, Amen." Even after his release, the former police officer maintained his innocence and said he never destroyed any piece of evidence from the crime scene.
"Wala akong sinirang ebidensiya, mga minamahal kong kapatid. Iyon ay puro insinuation lang (I didn't destroy any evidence, my brother and sisters. Those are all insinuations)," he said. Biong said he is no longer interested in involving himself in the murder case, even if authorities would tap him to help finally solve the case.
"Hindi na siguro kailangan iyon dahil sa kahabagan. Komporme iyon sa magiging ano sa atin ng pinakamamahal nating Panginoon. Maaring ipagkaloob ko na lang iyon sa Diyos," he said. (I don't think it's still necessary. I am just leaving everything to God.) He also refused to comment whether or not he thought convicted murderer Hubert Webb and his other accomplices indeed committed the crime.
"I'm sorry pero sa oras na ito ay hindi ko pa kayo masasagot ngayon (but I can't answer you right now)," Biong said.
Endorsement letter Biong's lawyer, Ricardo Valmonte, secured earlier on Tuesday a copy of an endorsement letter from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which ordered the release as Biong had already finished serving his sentence. Biong was convicted of being an accessory to the massacre of three members of the Vizconde family in 1991. Biong was imprisoned in 1995 and sentenced to imprisonment of between six years and one day, and 12 years. Valmonte was quoted in a radio dzBB report as saying he would be bringing the five-page endorsement letter to the Bureau of Corrections within the day so that his client could finally be released from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Valmonte said his client finished serving his sentence on November 24 this year. Along with Biong, the DOJ has likewise endorsed the release of 123 other inmates.
Restraining order The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) is still trying to prevent Biong from being freed. The group earlier said it would file a temporary restraining order against his release. Lauro Vizconde, whose wife and two daughters were killed in the massacre, has become a member of the VACC after the incident. VACC chairman Dante Jimenez earlier argued that Biong should not yet be released because he was still facing a separate sentence of four years for the murder of Danilo Cayubit. This would mean that the former police officer should be spending a maximum of 16 years, and not 12 years, behind bars. Reacting to the DOJ's endorsement letter, Lauro insisted on Tuesday that Biong should still stay in prison for another year. According to the widower, if Biong had already spent 15 years in prison since 1995, it would mean he still has one more year to serve to complete his supposed 16-year total sentence.
"Gusto namin malaman kung paano nila natuos na his sentence was already served," said Lauro in a radio dzBB interview. (We want to know how they computed that he had already served his sentence.) Biong's camp, however, had already contested Jimenez's claim. They said Biong had already been acquitted in the murder of Cayubit. Biong was implicated in the Vizconde massacre for allegedly tampering with evidence in the crime. Among the people convicted for the killings was former Sen. Freddie Webb's son, Hubert Webb.
– VVP, GMANews.TV 
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