After nearly 18 years, actress Rochelle Barrameda finally came face-to-face with Lope Jimenez, the man she believes is responsible for her sister Ruby Rose Barrameda’s gruesome death in 2007.
The emotional confrontation happened on Friday night at Camp Karingal in Quezon City, where Rochelle positively identified Jimenez, who was using the alias Victor Vidal Dueñas or James Paul Dwight, as the fishing magnate and uncle of Ruby Rose’s estranged husband, Manuel Jimenez III.
Confrontation at QCPD
Jimenez was arrested in Mandaluyong City for the murder of businessman William Pascaran Sr., whose body was found buried in Bulacan. The method of disposal was disturbingly similar to how Ruby Rose’s body was found—stuffed in a steel drum filled with concrete, discovered on Jimenez’s Navotas property.
In a tense moment at the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Rochelle approached Jimenez, who was seated and wearing a yellow detainee shirt. When asked by the police if he recognized her, Jimenez denied knowing her.
“You don’t know me? Are you sure?” Rochelle asked.
Jimenez replied, “Who are you?”
Rochelle answered with unwavering determination, “I’m the sister of Ruby Rose Jimenez, the woman you ordered killed.”
Although Jimenez denied his identity as the Navotas businessman, Rochelle declared, “You can’t escape now.”
Long Journey to Justice
Ruby Rose went missing on March 14, 2007, and her body was later recovered through her dental records. In 2009, witnesses identified Lope Jimenez and his brother, Manuel Jr., as the masterminds of the murder. Despite being acquitted in 2019, the Barrameda family filed a parricide case against Ruby Rose’s husband, which is now with the Court of Appeals (CA).
Rochelle, speaking to the media, expressed certainty in her identification. “It’s him. I know him as Lope Jimenez. The features, the face, the height—it’s him.”
She admitted feeling an urge to retaliate but held back, saying, “What’s important is that he is now arrested. We’ve been praying for this for a long time.”
Prayers and Hope
For Rochelle and her family, Jimenez’s arrest brings renewed hope for justice. “This is the beginning. I hope Ruby Rose’s case will be heard again and she will finally obtain justice,” she said.
Rochelle credited their faith for this breakthrough, saying, “God is very good. He will make a way.”
The Barrameda family remains determined, counting on the CA to revive public interest and reopen the case.
Disclaimer: This article is based on public reports and statements. Legal proceedings are ongoing, and all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
