What walkout by Aguirre?

May we know the source of this spurious tale that laid-back, mild-mannered Vitaliano Aguirre II walked out on the day Hubert Webb was convicted in Parañaque in January 2000? (Letters, Inquirer, 3/6/12)

I had to leave the case in 1996 after the court set it for hearing four days a week. But on promulgation day the Webbs asked me to be around for moral support. After conviction, I went that night on TV with Beth Webb, Hubert’s mother, to discuss the remarkable verdict.

Midway during the long reading that required more than one reader, we knew Hubert and company would get it.

In January 2000, for Hubert, we walked in early; naturally, after the disappointing promulgation we walked out, with the rest of the crowd, for lunch. Had Aguirre walked out in protest, that would have provided dessert, an interesting sidelight that would have grabbed us by the scruff of our necks. But my fading memory has no such recollection.

Defense counsel Deng Bautista speculated that Aguirre may have stepped out earlier to respond to nature’s call during the long promulgation.

—RENE SAGUISAG, [email protected]