Cops to dig up fishing magnate's alleged victims

MANILA, Philippines – The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday they are set to recover more bodies killed and buried Mafia-style, allegedly by a Navotas-based fishing magnate and six others accused in the murder of a sister of former actress Rochelle Barrameda.

NCRPO director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales said suspect-turned-state witness Manuel Montero is guiding them in the recovery of bodies stuffed in drums and encased in cement, just like he did with the body of Ruby Rose Jimenez, 26.

“We received reports that the group are behind other killings so we are validating them. Our witness is helping us in pinpointing the exact location of the bodies,” said Rosales, noting that majority of the supposed victims are business rivals of shipping magnate Lope Jimenez.

Jimenez, along with his brother, lawyer Manuel Jimenez II; Eric Fernandez; Spike Discalzo; Roberto Ponce, alias Abet; Rudy de la Cruz; and Montero were charged with murder Thursday before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the killing of Ruby Rose.

Jimenez II is the father of Ruby Rose’s estranged husband, Manuel Jimenez III.

Jimenez II, in an interview aired over GMA-7, denied being the mastermind in Ruby Rose’s murder and said he has been estranged from his brother, Lope, for a long time.

Jimenez III said he was “saddened” by Ruby Rose’s death, noting that they “shared many good memories” during their eight-year relationship, which ended in December 2006.

He claimed that when Ruby Rose disappeared on March 14, 2007, she never reached the Jimenez residence in Las Piñas. She was supposed to visit her daughters, then aged seven years and four months old, respectively, after losing custody of them in a court battle.

Jimenez III said he now fears he, his father, or his eldest daughter would be abducted. His lawyer, Mario Aguinaldo, urged people to examine the evidence.

“The Jimenezes may also be victims,” Aguinaldo said.

More killings

Rosales said after police recovered Ruby Rose’s body, prominent families have contacted him, claiming Jimenez and his group may have something to do with the killing of their next of kin.

“We are uncovering more killings allegedly authored by the same suspects. I’m asking these relatives to come to my office so we could discuss the cases,” he said.

Rosales said the DOJ placed the suspects on the Bureau of Immigration’s watchlist to prevent them from leaving the country.

“Their photographs were posted at different airports and other areas to prevent them from escaping while the case against them is in progress,” Rosales said.

Montero worked for the Buena Suerte Jimenez Fishing and Trading Co. as an operations manager from 1994 to 2007, and received P100,000 as his monthly salary.

Montero said he was at a loss as to why the Jimenezes wanted Rudy Rose killed. Rosales said they also have no motive as yet but noted that Jimenez II allegedly told the victim, “Don’t bring shame to the family.”

Barrameda said even if Ruby Rose committed a crime against the Jimenezes, “it should not be enough ground to have her brutally killed.”

Montero told Superintendent Leo Francisco, head of the NCRPO’s Regional Police Intelligence and Operations Unit (RPIOU) that Ruby Rose, gagged and handcuffed, was taken by car to the fishing firm’s office in Navotas in 2007.

Ruby Rose was strangled, her body placed inside a drum, and cement was later poured into it. The drum was put into a steel case before it was loaded into a ship with the use of a forklift. The ship crew pushed the steel case into the seawaters of Navotas, according to Montero.

Francisco said Montero used water buoys to help him locate Ruby Rose’s body.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa congratulated the NCRPO, RPIOU, Maritime Group, Crime Laboratory and Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response (PACER) for solving the case.

“The efficient investigation and relentless pursuit operations staged by these police units led to the breakthrough in the case. Now justice can be served the victim and her family,” Verzosa said, and ordered Rosales to pursue the conviction of the suspects.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which the Barramedas approached when Ruby Rose disappeared two years ago, will close the case “by reason of losing jurisdiction” with the direct filing of charges before the DOJ.

NBI’s Special Action Unit chief Angelito Magno said he will meet with his investigators to discuss the status of the case. He also said they will verify if the body in the drum is indeed that of Ruby Rose before they can close the case. – With Evelyn Macairan, Sandy Araneta