Criminal charges were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation yesterday against the companions of the late flight attendant Christine Dacera, as well as the private lawyer and the police forensic investigator who initially handled the case.
In a press briefing, NBI officials led by spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin said charges of violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were filed against Mark Anthony Rosales for allegedly bringing party drugs and, along with Rommel Galido, for delivering and giving away the illegal substance.
Likewise charged for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide were John Pascual Dela Serna III, Jezreel Rapinan, Alain Chen and Louie Delima for recklessly neglecting the victim.
NBI findings, however, showed no proof of abrasions in the victim’s genitalia, as earlier claimed by forensic experts.
The 23-year-old Dacera, a flight crew of Philippine Airlines, was found unconscious in a bathtub inside a City Garden Grand Hotel room in Makati City on January 1. She was declared dead on arrival at Makati Medical Center. Initial reports indicated she was raped but the police failed to substantiate their claims.
“Re-autopsy on the cadaver of victim Dacera revealed that the cause of her death was microscopic evidence of peri-aortic hemorrhages and aortic wall disruption, suspicious for a bleeding dissecting aneurysm based on the review of slides of Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory,” the NBI said.
Toxicology examinations on the cadaver showed the presence of Diltiazem, a medicine for high blood pressure.
“The results of the NBI investigation revealed the glaring inconsistencies of the PNP autopsy report,” the report said.
The NBI disputed the police’s conclusion that the victim’s urinary bladder was empty and said that in fact, the NBI forensic team was able to extract 130 milliliters of urine and no abrasion was found in her labia majora.
Charges of perjury were also recommended against Galido, Dela Serna, and Darwin Macalla for allegedly providing false testimonies; and obstruction of justice against Rosales, Galido, Dela Serna, Gregorio Angelo De Guzman, Rapinan, Chen, Reymar Englis, Macalla, and lawyer Neptali Maroto for allegedly giving false or fabricated information to mislead or prevent the law enforcement agencies from apprehending the offenders.
Criminal charges for falsification of official document by a public officer were slapped against investigator, Maj. Michael Nick Sarmiento.*PNA
