Lack of progress in case of Ruby Rose irks family

The family of Ruby Rose Barrameda led by her father Robert, mother Asuncion and sister Rochelle offer flowers as they criticize the lack of positive action in the murder case filed against the men believed to be involved in her death. ALEXIS CORPUZ

MANILA, Philippines—Almost seven years after the death of Ruby Rose Barrameda, her family and members of cause-oriented groups gathered on Don Chino Roces Bridge (formerly Mendiola) on Monday morning to decry the lack of justice in her case and to call for action in other violent incidents against women.

In front of the Mendiola Peace Arch, Barrameda’s family led by her sister Rochelle, mother Asuncion and father Robert offered flowers in front of a tarpaulin showing her picture. The activity attended by Gabriela and crime watch group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) was held on the last day of Women’s Month.

Barrameda went missing in 2007 while she was battling her husband in court for custody of their children. Her body was found two years later inside a cemented drum dumped in the waters off Navotas City. Her husband Manuel Jimenez III, uncle-in-law Lope and father-in-law Manuel Jimenez Jr. were eventually charged with parricide after another accused, Manuel Montero, linked them to her death.

Jimenez Jr. has since been under hospital arrest at Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City while several of the accused remain at large. However, in March 2013, accused-turned-state witness Montero escaped from police custody and told the Malabon court in charge of the case that he was recanting his statements against the suspects as these were all lies.

According to Rochelle, her family has become impatient and frustrated with the lack of progress in the case. She also noted that the original witnesses and accused have either recanted their testimonies or disappeared. With Montero still to surface since he left the custody of the police, the Barrameda family has expressed fear that he may have been killed.

Rochelle, meanwhile, reiterated that they were considering filing charges against the five police officials who had custody of Montero when he escaped.

“We have waited long enough and I think we have also given them ample time to find him,” she said.

Two weeks ago, VACC founding chair Dante Jimenez gave a two-week deadline to Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, Supt. Ronald Lee and three other policemen at the National Capital Region Police Office in Bicutan, Taguig City who were responsible for Montero to account for his whereabouts.

Jimenez earlier expressed frustration on the slow action of authorities on Barrameda’s case, saying that “it was too much to bear.”

Gabriela secretary general Joms Salvador, on the other hand, said that justice remained elusive for the Barrameda family and the same was true for many other cases of violence in the country.