Barrameda family appeals to Duterte for justice in Ruby Rose case

The family of Ruby Rose Barrameda has appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte for justice after a Malabon court junked the murder and parricide charges against her estranged husband and father-in-law.

In a report by Cecille Villarosa for Saksi on Monday, Robert Barrameda, the bereaved father of Ruby Rose whose remains were dumped in Navotas waters in 2009, lamented the suffering his daughter endured.

“Biro mo patayin ka nang ganyan, babae ka, nakaposas, walang kalaban-laban, sakalin ka nang ganyan,” he said.

“Umaapela kami kay Presidente Duterte na sana po ay bigyan mo kami ng pagkakataon na makamtan namin ang hustisya,” he added.

In an August 15 order, the Malabon Regional Trial Court Branch 170 dismissed the parricide case against Barrameda's estranged husband, Manuel "Third" Jimenez III, for supposed failure to establish probable cause that he had masterminded the killing of his wife.

The same court dismissed the murder case against Third's father, Manuel Jimenez, Jr.;  Lennard "Spyke" Descalso, and Norberto Ponce on July 10 upon finding that the prosecution was unable to establish their "direct participation" in Ruby Rose's death.

The dismissal of the charges outraged the family of Ruby Rose, sister of former beauty queen Rochelle Barrameda. They claimed that the Jimenezes never cooperated with them in the investigation.

“Nung time na nawawala nga ‘yung kapatid ko, ni hindi siya tumulong para hanapin, ilang beses kaming nagmakaawa sa kanila na baka pwede naman kalimutan muna namin 'yung problema namin, ng pamilya nila, ng pamilya namin. Ang importante, mahanap lang 'yung kapatid ko. Pero hindi ho sila nakipagtulungan, tapos ganito na lang na ma-di-dismiss.”

Meanwhile, the Barrameda family also called on Manuel Montero to surface.

Montero directed authorities to the location of Ruby Rose’s body and identified the suspects. He was turned into a state witness but he took back his statements in 2013. He has since gone missing. 

“Manumbalik uli sa’yo na ikaw makonsensya, sana bumalik ka na rin sa amin Montero,” said Ruby Rose’s father. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BAP, GMA News