Police are tracking down the nine persons of interest in the death of Philippine Airlines flight attendant Christine Angelica Dacera inside a hotel room in Makati City on New Year’s Day.
Philippine National Police chief Debold Sinas identified the nine as Gregorio Angelo de Guzman; Louie de Lima; Clark Jezreel Rapinan; Rey Englis; Mark Anthony Rosales; Jammyr Cunanan; Valentine Rosales; Ed Madrid; and a certain Paul.
“All remain at-large and are now the subject of follow-up operations,” Sinas said.
Members of the Makati City police station already arrested the first three suspects in the case, namely John Pascual Dela Serna III, 27; Rommel Daluro Galido, 29; and John Paul Reyes Halili, 25.
Police filed rape and homicide charges against the three.
Sinas said the 11 persons of interest were friends and acquaintances of the 23-year-old Dacera, who joined them in celebrating the New Year at the City Garden Hotel in Barangay Poblacion, Makati, on the eve of Jan. 1.
Dacera was found unconscious in the bathtub of the adjacent hotel room around noon the next day. Hotel medical staff tried to revive her but failed, and took her to the Makati Medical Center where attending physicians pronounced her dead on arrival due to a ruptured aortic aneurysm.
Initial investigation showed that the victim had lacerations and sperm in her genitalia, while bruises, scratches and contusions were found on her arms and legs, indicating there was a use of force.
The victim’s family called on the other persons of interest to turn themselves in and cooperate with the Makati City police to shed light on the case.
“Echoing the sentiment of the family, for those who know anything, if you guys are truly the friends of Christine, please admit, turn yourselves in. So if you think you are not at fault, you can clean your reputation. You cannot escape this forever. The family deserves justice and peace,” lawyer Jose Ledda III, the legal counsel of the Dacera family, told CNN Philippines.
Makati Police commander Harold Depositar said some of the suspects told investigators that they are gay.
Depositar said some of Dacera’s companions saw what happened and allowed it to happen.
“They could have stopped it. This is a classic example that an act of one is an act of all,” he said.
Veteran singer singer Claire de la Fuente appealed for sobriety to the mother of Christine Angelica Dacera, as well netizens, in the wake of the sensational homicide rape case involving her son, Gregorio Angelo de Guzman, and 10 other suspects.
De la Fuente is dismayed that her son, a chef and fitness instructor, has been tagged as a suspect in the provisional homicide case.
“I feel sorry for her (Mrs. Dacera). Naintindihan ko totally ang nararamdaman niya, ‘yung rage, I understand that. Sobrang masakit para sa isang ina ang mawalan bigla ng anak. Di ko rin kakayanin,” de la Fuente told ABS-CBN News Tuesday afternoon, addressing her message to netizens who have pre-judged the case.
“Pero sana naman may balancing act, maging resonable tayo para ‘di tayo makasakit ng mga inosente at makapagbiktima ng ibang tao. Let’s not put innocent people in jail!” de la Fuente added.
Dacera’s mother, Sharon, who is based in General Santos City, had recounted in media reports that she spoke with Christine about spending New Year’s Day with known friends in a Makati hotel.
In its Facebook page, the News Entertainment Portal reposted the messages made by two of the nine persons of interest—Rey Englis and Valentine Rosales—on their social media accounts.
“The truth will set us all free. I don’t need your apologies when that time comes but please offer it through prayers for Tin and her family.
I will never deactivate my social media kahit i-bash niyo pa ako ng i-bash,” said Englis.
In a separate post, Rosales said, “Absurd fake and disgusting, super imbento talaga ng social media ilabas niyo official copy ng autopsy report. Walang gumalaw kay Tine! Siya pa mismo ang nag-book ng hotel under her name. God’s the witness, truth will always prevail.”
Meanwhile, another person of interest has changed his mind about his plan to surrender to the police following the advice of a legal counsel.
Mayor Abigail Binay on Tuesday offered her condolences to the Dacera family, and ordered the city police to conduct a thorough investigation on the case.
Also on Tuesday, the Department of Tourism issued a show-cause order against the management of City Garden Hotel for violating the general community quarantine policy, which was imposed by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease pandemic, after it allowed guests to hold a private party.
In a letter addressed to hotel general manager Richard Reazon, the DOT ordered the establishment to submit within three days its written explanation.
The Department of Justice said it will issue a travel alert order against those may be named as respondents when the Philippine National Police formally files criminal complaint, in connection with the rape-slay of flight attendant Christine Dacera.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they would wait for the PNP to file the complaint against those responsible for the alleged rape and killing before he orders the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to issue a travel alert order.
The Commission on Human Rights announced on Tuesday it will conduct a separate investigation into Dacera’s death.
“Pending the release of toxicology reports, the commission shall conduct its own investigation in coordination with local authorities to inquire about the nature of death and ensure justice for the victim,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia.
De Guia said while preliminary investigation issued by the police showed that the cause of death was due to ruptured aortic aneurysm, visible lacerations and other evidence based on the medico-legal report points to factors of abuse, which include forcible sexual misconduct.
The Philippine National Police urged the public not to post unverified and speculative information on social media, as this might affect the investigation of the rape and murder case.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Tuesday joined calls for justice as it mourned the death of Dacera.
“PAL express mourns the tragic death of Christine Angelica Dacera last Jan. 1 during New Year revelry in Makati City. She was an upstanding and professional PAL Express crew member who will be sorely missed by her colleagues and friends,” PAL said in a statement. PAL said it was also extending support to Dacera’s family.
