PNP medico-legal officer, 10 others face raps over Dacera death

BY JEFFREY DAMICOG

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed on Friday criminal complaints against a Philippine National Police (PNP) medico-legal officer and 10 other persons before the Department of Justice (DoJ) in connection with the death of flight attendant Christine Angelica F. Dacera.

The NBI announced that its Death Investigation Division (DID) recommended in its complaint to charge in court PNP medical legal officer Maj. Michael Nick W. Sarmiento who conducted the initial autopsy with falsification of official document by public officer in violation of Article 171, par. 4 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

“Results of the NBI investigation revealed the glaring inconsistencies in the PNP autopsy report,” the NBI said.

“Results of the autopsy report conducted by the NBI Medico Legal Division Chief revealed that in contrast to the autopsy report of P/Maj. Sarmiento, M.D., victim’s urinary bladder was full of urine and in fact was able to extract 130 ml of urine and no abrasion was found in her labia,” the NBI cited.

The agency said the re-autopsy of the victim showed that “the cause of her death was microscopic evidence of peri-aortic hemorrhages and aortic wall disruption, suspicious for a bleeding of peri-aortic aneurysm based on the review of the slides of PNP Crime Laboratory.”

“Toxicology examinations on the cadaver of the victim showed the presence of Diltiazem, a prescription drug for the management of hypertension,” it added.

The complaint also recommended the filing of charges against 10 other persons including Dacera’s friends – Romel Galido, Reymar Englis, Louie Delima, John Pascual dela Serna III, and Jezreel Rapinan.

Dacera was found unconscious on Jan. 1 in the bathtub of Room 2209 of City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City where she and her friends celebrated the New Year.

She was rushed to the Makati Medical Center (MMC) but was declared dead on arrival.

It was learned that Dacera and her friends were mingling with another group at Room 2207.

Based on the testimonies investigators gathered from witnesses, the NBI learned that Dacera told them that she did not want to be at Room 2209 because her companions were “high for taking party drugs in contrast to the sworn statements of the victim’s friends and companions at Room 2209.”

The NBI also received from the PNP Crime Laboratory the results of the examination conducted on two pieces of cotton found inside Room 2209.

“According to the report the two pieces of cotton showed the presence of Flourmethemphetamine and Methamphetamine,” said the NBI referring to the presence of illegal drugs.

With these findings, the NBI said Galido should be indicted for violating Sec. 3(a) and Sec. 3(k) for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for introducing party drugs to his companions and for delivering and giving away the illegal narcotics, respectively.

The agency also recommended charging Mark Anthony Rosales with violating Sec. 3(k) of RA 9165.

Investigators also accused Galido, Dela Serna, and Darwin Joseph Macalla of providing false testimonies and obstruction of justice.

Also accused of obstruction of justice were Englis, Rapinan, Rosales, Gregorio Rafael de Guzman, Rapinan, Alain Chen, and lawyer Neptali Maroto.

Dela Serna, Rapinan, Chen and Delima were also recommended to be charged in court for reckless neglect of the condition of Dacera that led her to her untimely demise.