Supreme Court approves transfer of Ruby Rose murder trial

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court has approved the request of the victim’s family in the Ruby Rose Barrameda-Jimenez murder case to transfer the place of trial from flooded Malabon City to Makati City.

But while the lawyers of the victim already received a copy of the transfer order of the High Tribunal, the Malabon RTC Branch 170 hearing the trial is still at a loss as to just when this is going to happen.

The hearing on the petition to bail filed by the lawyers of primary suspect Manuel Jimenez Jr., the victim’s father-in-law, was held by Branch 170 Judge Hector Almeyda in his sala as scheduled yesterday.

Rowena Guanzon and Ana Luz Cristal, private lawyers for the Barrameda family, yesterday confirmed to The STAR they received the order Thursday. They filed the petition in early September.

Cristal said the order handed down by Chief Justice Reynato Puno was dated Oct. 12. “He (Puno) has ordered the court administrator to facilitate the transfer,” she said.

Guanzon also clarified that what they asked for was only a “transfer of the place of trial” and “not a transfer of venue,” which means Almeyda will continue hearing the case and not another judge.

Cristal also told The STAR Makati is “ready to accommodate the Ruby Rose case.”

“It will likely be held at the session hall of the old city hall (of Makati) where the Magdalo and Nicole rape cases were previously held,” Cristal said citing a Makati clerk of court as her source.

The prosecution has moved for the transfer for a number of reasons. “The place is an ideal ambush site and we worry for the safety of the witnesses,” Guanzon told The STAR in an earlier interview.

The Malabon courts and prosecutors’ offices were recently submerged in 12-foot floodwaters, resulting in the loss of records and court documents. The Ruby Rose case was one of many high-profile cases the court’s staff was able to save.

Malabon RTC Branch 170 clerk of court Jesus Fernandez told The STAR yesterday after the hearing of the defense’s petition to bail that they have no idea when the transfer will actually take place.

“Certainly, we will have to transfer but only after we receive an official communication from the Supreme Court,” Fernandez said.

Menawhile, Angono police chief Superintendent Rommel Estolano, yesterday told The STAR he has transferred custody of Jimenez to Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego, Quezon City Police District director, Thursday afternoon. The suspect is now confined at Room 322 of the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.

Almeyda signed the transfer order last Oct. 20.