A man, who was arrested on Friday, Jan. 10, for the kidnapping and killing of a businessman, is also being investigated by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) for his alleged link to the 2007 Ruby Rose murder case.
Photo from QCPD PIO
Police identified the suspect as Victor Vidal Dueñas, also known as “James Paul Dwight” and “Lope Jimenez”.
Ruby Rose’s sister, actress Rochelle Barrameda, expressed relief following his arrest.
The murder of Ruby Rose shocked the nation in 2007 when her body was found encased in a cement-filled drum in Navotas City.
“Almost 16 years siyang nagtago sa batas. Salamat sa Diyos na dininig ang aming panalangin. Naaresto na natin si Lope Jimenez, a.k.a. Victor Vidal Dueñas and James Paul Dwight. Sana mahanap na rin ang driver niyang si Eric Fernandez (He evaded justice for almost 16 years. Thank God our prayers have been answered. At last, we have arrested Lope Jimenez, a.k.a. Victor Vidal Dueñas and James Paul Dwight. Hopefully, his driver, Eric Fernandez, will also be found soon),” Barrameda said in a Facebook post.
The QCPD’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) said Dueñas was initially nabbed for kidnapping and killing of a businessman.
Two other suspects, Noli Banegas Cape, 29, and Mervin Juane Armas, 44, were also arrested in relation to the businessman’s murder.
According to the police report, the businessman left his house on Jan. 5 at around 7 a.m. to visit his fish farm in Calauan, Laguna.
Hours later, he contacted his son to request P100,000, but only P79,000 was sent due to balance limits.
Repeated attempts by the son to contact the victim were unsuccessful. The following day, the victim’s phone was switched off.
The son discovered that his father’s ATM cards were used for withdrawals in Sacred Heart Village, Quezon City.
He immediately reported his father missing to the Anonas Police Station (PS-9).
Operatives immediately conducted an investigation using closed circuit television (CCTV) footage.
It revealed that the victim had been kidnapped by two suspects on Xavierville Avenue in Barangay Loyola Heights, Quezon City, on Jan. 5, at 8 a.m.
The operatives conducted the back tracking of CCTV footage and were able to track down a red vehicle in front of a bank at the Lagro branch.
Police traced a red vehicle seen near a bank in Lagro, Quezon City, to a vulcanizing shop in Caloocan City, which led to the arrest of Cape and Armas.
Recovered from the suspects (Photo from QCPD-PIO)
Recovered from the suspects were a .22-caliber Black Widow firearm, a grenade, seven cell phones, ATM cards, IDs, and other items.
Police found the victim’s body in a vacant lot in Barangay Minuyan Proper, San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.
Authorities said that the victim’s remains showed signs of strangulation and were restrained with handcuffs.
Cape admitted that Dueñas had orchestrated the crime and promised full payment for their involvement.
Dueñas was arrested during a meeting at a fast-food chain in Mandaluyong City.
Authorities recovered a cell phone, a handcuff key, IDs, and personal items from Dueñas.
Barrameda extended her condolences to the victim’s family and urged them to seek justice.
“Taos-pusong pakikiramay sa pamilya. Tulong-tulong tayo na magkaroon ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ng inyong ama (Our heartfelt condolences to the family. Let us work together to achieve justice for the death of your father),” she said.
She also called on other families of Dueñas’ alleged victims to come forward.
“Magtulungan tayong lahat para sa mahal natin sa buhay. Tayo lang ang daan para magkaroon sila ng hustisya at matahimik na ang kanilang kaluluwa (Let us all work together for our loved ones. We are their only means to achieve justice and peace for their souls),” Barrameda added.
Authorities are currently conducting an investigation to establish the suspect's true identity.