JUNKED CHARGES | Dacera family still refuses to move on after Makati prosecutor decision

April 27, 2021 , 02:58 PM

(April 27, 2021) – Citing lack of probable cause, the Makati Prosecutor’s Office junked the criminal charge of rape with homicide against 11 men implicated in the death of Christine Dacera, the young flight attendant who died on New Year’s Day.

Assistant prosecutor Joan Bolina-Santillan, in a 19-page resolution, found no sufficient evidence to charge Dacera’s friends of raping and killing the 23-year-old as alleged by police officers who investigated the controversial case.

Atty. Mike Santiago, legal counsel of five of the respondents, welcomed the decision, urging the Dacera family to respect the ruling.

“Hindi naman kami nawalan ng tiwala na mapapawalang-sala ang aming mga kliyente dahil sa medico-legal findings ng PNP (Philippine National Police) na walang homicide at hindi na-rape si Christine,” said Santiago, who represents Gregorio De Guzman, John Pascual Dela Serna III, Rommel Galido, Jezreel Rapinan, and Valentine Rosales.

Other individuals cleared were Jamyr Cunanan, Louie De Lima, Reymar Englis, John Paul Halili, Eduardo Pangilinan III, and Mark Anthony Rosales.

Dacera was found unconscious in the bathtub of their room at City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati last January 1 after a night of partying with her friends. She was declared dead on arrival at the Makati Medical Center.

Autopsy reports from the PNP showed that Dacera died of ruptured aortic aneurysm, a natural cause, which weakened the homicide charge lodged against the respondents. Dacera’s loss of blood led to her death within a matter of hours.

But her family, particularly her mother Sharon Dacera, maintained anew that her daughter was raped and killed by his companions, saying they can still bring the case to the Department of Justice.

“This is not yet over. This is just a comma, not a period,” said Atty. Brick Reyes, legal counsel of the Dacera family, in an interview with the Manila Bulletin. “We are not going to say amen to this dismissal because we are looking for truth and justice.”

Dela Serna also welcomed the decision, but he lamented the difficulties they experienced throughout the process. He said the case gravely affected their reputation, affecting their well-being and jobs.

“Let us respect the prosecutor’s resolution and let’s move forward in life,” said Dela Serna. “I hope this serves as a lesson for everyone that we cannot accuse people without enough proof, and we cannot jump to conclusions that a crime has been committed without strong evidence to prove it.”

The respondents, however, would still have to face a separate complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) which initiated an independent probe after the PNP bungled the investigation. The NBI conducted a re-autopsy of Dacera’s body, which revealed “glaring inconsistencies” of the initial report released by the PNP.

Charges of obstruction of justice, perjury, and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide have been filed against 11 individuals, including one lawyer and the forensic officer who originally examined Dacera’s remains.

(Beatrice Puente/PM with reports from Pat Mangune, News 5)

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