House probe on PNP’s handling of Dacera case pushed

BY CHARISSA LUCI-ATIENZA

The House Committee on Public Order and Safety has been urged to investigate the Philippine National Police’s supposed “mishandling” of Christine Angelica Dacera’s case.

Gabriela Women’s partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas led the filing of House Resolution No. 1458 seeking thorough investigation of the case to ensure its “fair and competent” resolution.

“The PNP’s mishandling of Dacera’s case pose the biggest stumbling block to the quest for truth and justice over Dacera’s death; it should stop using the case to rehabilitate its image if justice must be really served,” the resolution read.

Under the resolution, Brosas and five other Makabayan lawmakers chided the PNP for giving unverified and inaccurate information and the premature conclusions over Dacera’s death, which they said, do not help in resolving the case.

“Rather, it resulted to trial by publicity, confusion most especially among Dacera’s family and friends, and undue stress and anxiety to various parties dragged into the case,” the lawmakers said.

They noted that even without the autopsy findings and toxicology report, the PNP prematurely claimed that Dacera’s case is a rape-slay case because she allegedly had lacerations and sperm in her genitalia and there were bruises and scratches on her arms and legs.

They questioned the move of the Makati City policy to file on Monday a “provisional” charge of rape with homicide against 11 individuals who were with her during the celebration, although there was still an ongoing investigation.

The progressive lawmakers also scored the PNP for declaring in their official Facebook page and in their media statements that the case has been solved after three of the 11 suspects were arrested.

Brosas’ group cannot help, but question the PNP Police Chief General Debold Sinas’ statement threatening the suspects to surrender within 72 hours or face manhunt “using force if necessary”, considering that no warrants of arrest were issued.

“The result of autopsy report indicated that Christine Dacera’s cause of death is ruptured aortic aneurysm. This is contradictory to what the PNP claimed to be a rape-slay case,” they said.

Quoting forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, the Makabayan lawmakers said the police autopsy was “inconclusive” and that no evidence would prove that there was sexual assault based on the autopsy report.

The lawmakers noted that on January 6, the Makati City Prosecutors Office issued a resolution, saying no evidence was presented to prove that the Dacera’s death was by reason of the alleged rape and homicide and thus, ordered the release of the three suspects.

Dacera, a 23-year-old flight attendant, was found unconscious in an empty bathtub of their hotel room at noontime of January 1, 2021 after celebrating News Year’s eve with friends and colleagues at City Garden Hotel in Makati City. (Charissa Luci-Atienza)