A flight attendant named Christine Dacera was found unconscious in a bathtub from hotel room 2209 at City Garden Grand Hotel, Makati City. As her friends and hotel staff tried to revive her, she was rushed to the Makati Medical Center but declared dead on arrival. Here's what happened 2 weeks ago.
1. The Philippine National Police claimed it was rape because of her contusions and lacerations, traces of sperm were found on Christine's genitalia and declared it as closed, but it was insufficient as recommended by the Office of the Prosecutor's Office in Makati City, a preliminary investigation must be followed. 3 of the other suspects were released as per the decision of the Prosecutor's office.
2. The 1st autopsy report was leaked around social media, while the 2nd report authorized by the family remains confidential. As I have mentioned before, it is not a public record and it should not be leaked around the internet.
3. CCTV footage was acquired as they review Christine's movements and other men present. A possible violation of the community quarantine rules.
You can check my previous articles about this, click/tap on the links below to read more.
Now that the victim is laid to rest, new developments are now in progress. The Dacera Family filed an administrative complaint and wants to remove the Medico-Legal officer PNP Maj. Michael Sarmiento. He admits that he proceeded with the embalmment without authorization from the family, and he cannot get any blood samples since the victim's body is now already embalmed, and all body fluids were drained. PNP NCRPO Chief Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao admits that procedures were not followed, and this serves as their big challenge to investigate this case. Why did they embalm the body without consent before proceeding with the autopsy? There's a policy that they currently follow with the current situation, if the body is probable or confirmed positive for the coronavirus, embalmment should be done first before the autopsy. Things didn't match from the PNP's policy, once the dead body is confirmed positive or suspected case for Covid-19, they go straight for cremation with safety precautions instead of embalming the body. Another question is, was Christine tested for the coronavirus before embalmment?
The majority of the suspects claimed they didn't commit the crime of what happened before and during New Year's Eve. They were only drinking and having fun, possibly someone placed a drug on her drink. The suspects were added from 12 to 16. Since it is a big challenge for the PNP, the Department of Justice authorized the National Bureau of Investigation to step in, by gathering additional evidence from room 2209 where Christine and her friends stayed during New Year's festivities. January 6, 2020, the NBI gathered evidence at room 2209 from the mattress, furniture, food, trash bins, receipts, and stains around the toilet bowl including the mattress where Christine vomited multiple times. This will give them a lead if Christine was drugged and possibly caused her death. The Forensic Team of the NBI was sent to General Santos City to gather tissue samples, including her DNA. 3 rooms are now under investigation, 2209 (Christine's room including her friends), 2207 where Christine's friends of friends staying, and 2009 (2 floors below from the victim's room) which is unknown and currently identifying who stayed in that room.
Christine's body arrived at 1:45 pm according to the document obtained by our local media. Different tests were conducted by the Makati Medical Center, if there were traces of Opium, Morphine, Tranquilizer, Marijuana, Ecstacy, and Shabu (otherwise, Methamphetamine) before embalming and turn it over to the PNP. The initial result has now been conducted by the NBI, coming from the urine samples and other biological samples gathered on Christine's body, but it needs confirmatory tests.
New CCTV footage was acquired. Aside from the victim's movements and everyone present, 2 men were recorded along the hallways of the City Garden Grand Hotel as they were in an argument. The 2 were identified as Edward Madrid Panganiban (stayed at 2209) & Joseph Darwin Macalla (stayed at 2207). Subpoenas were sent to all present of the crime to share their statements on what happened before and during New Year's eve. As all persons of interest should be present during the preliminary investigation of January 13, 2020, the question is, where is Panganiban & Macalla? The next hearing will be scheduled for January 27, 2020.
Sources:
Lead Image from https://rmn.ph/tatlong-respondents-sa-christine-dacera-case-dumating-sa-makati-prosecutors-office-para-sa-preliminary-investigation/
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1380953/a-certain-mark-spiked-daceras-liquor-respondent
