Webb denies bribing SC justices

MANILA, Philippines – Former Senator Freddie Webb on Thursday denied Lauro Vizconde’s allegations that his family offered P50 million in "lobby money" to justices of the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court to acquit his son, Hubert Webb..

“I would like to state that neither I nor any member of my family offered a P50 million bribe to any of the justices,” he said in a press statement.

“For fifteen years, my family fought this arduous legal battle on the merits of the case and within the bounds of the law to prove Hubert's innocence because we still believed in our judicial system,” he added.

Webb accused Vizconde of being “irresponsible” for spreading “these vicious lies.”

“If he truly believes that his accusations are true, then I challenge him to file the necessary charges,” he said.

“His conversation with Justice Mendoza allegedly took place as far back as 2006. It is therefore suspicious that it took him five years to make all these accusations, and only after the Supreme Court had rendered a decision that was not in his favour,” he added.

Webb said Vizconde’s allegations are “malicious” and "seriously undermine the integrity of our courts and has damaged the reputation of our justices, our courts and our family.”

“Mr. Vizconde has crossed the line and he deserves the strongest censure from the Supreme Court for his reckless and untruthful accusations,” he said.

source: abs-cbn