MANILA, Philippines - A medical team from the Philippine National Police (PNP) was sent yesterday to fetch the father-in-law of murder victim Ruby Rose Barrameda-Jimenez from a hospital in Angono, Rizal.
As of press time, the medical team from the Camp Crame hospital, accompanied by a police team from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is negotiating with the management of the Angono medical center for the transfer of lawyer Manuel Jimenez Jr. to their custody.
Jimenez, one of the prime suspects in the murder of Barrameda-Jimenez has been confined at the hospital for chest pain since he surrendered to Superintendent Rommel Escolano, Angono police chief, last Friday.
But NCRPO chief Director Roberto Rosales requested that Jimenez be transferred to the Camp Crame hospital so as not to jeopardize his security.
Rosales also asked the Camp Crame hospital to determine whether Jimenez is really sick as he claimed.
Superintendent Leo Francisco, head of the NCRPO’s Regional Police Intelligence and Operations Unit (RPIOU) said his men accompanied the medical team from Camp Crame to fetch Jimenez Jr.
“The hospital has no jurisdiction over Jimenez Jr. so we agreed with Col. Escolano that he be transferred to the custody of the medical team from Camp Crame,” said Francisco, noting that an ambulance is on standby for the purpose.
Escolano said the hospital issued a certificate for confinement of Jimenez Jr.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the NCRPO team is negotiating with the hospital management for the transfer of Jimenez to Camp Crame hospital.
Jimenez Jr. surrendered to the Angono police last Friday after learning that Judge Judge Hector Almeyda, of the Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 170 issued an arrest warrant against him, his younger brother Lope, who owns the Buena Suerte Jimenez Fishing and Trading Co., Manuel Montero, Eric Fernandez, Spyke Discalzo, and Roberto Ponce.
Montero participated in the killing of Barrameda-Jimenez and testified in favor of the victim.
Almeyda set no bail against the accused.
At least 12 tracker teams from the NCRPO are now searching for Lope and his remaining co-accused in Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces. – Non Alquitran