Arrest of Barrameda state witness ordered

The Malabon Regional Trial Court has ordered the arrest of Manuel Montero, an accused-turned-state witness in the Ruby Rose Barrameda case who has gone missing after retracting his testimony.

Montero has three warrants for his arrest issued on Aug. 4 by Branch 170 pairing Judge Celso Magsino Jr. At that time, Judge Zaldy Docena, who is in charge of the case, was on leave.

Each of the warrants specified a different location—Bustos, Bulacan; Kabangkalan, Negros Occidental; and Dasmariñas, Cavite—and were sent to the police official in charge of the area.

They were ordered to arrest Montero so that he could appear in court and “conclude his unfinished testimony.”

The next case hearing will be held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the National Capital Region Police Office courtroom in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.

In a phone interview, Jesus Hernandez, branch clerk of court, said that the bench warrants were issued in response to a recent motion filed by the prosecution.

Asked if the court’s order meant that Montero was no longer considered a state witness, Hernandez said: “We have not reached that stage yet.”

Under the rules, it was the prosecution who should file a motion for the “recall” of a state witness and his “reinstatement” as an accused, he added.

Montero earlier linked Barrameda’s estranged husband, father-in-law and uncle-in-law to her murder in 2007. However, he disappeared in 2013 after retracting his testimony.