NBI 'not rushing' report on Dacera case —Guevarra

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is "not rushing" its report on the Christine Dacera case.

Guevarra said the bureau, which he ordered to investigate the flight attendant's death, "wants all bases covered."

"But I'm sure that the NBI will be able to submit its report before the prosecutor concludes its preliminary investigation and resolves the case," he said in a message to reporters.

He said he will transmit the NBI's report to the Makati prosecutor's office as  soon as he receives it.

The bureau said it has no updates as of Wednesday. "Still running other DNA tests," NBI Deputy Director Ferdinand Lavin said.

Guevarra ordered the NBI to investigate Dacera's death last month after finding the initial police probe "not thorough enough."

As the NBI looks into the case, a Makati prosecutor is separately investigating the police complaint for rape with homicide against 11 of Dacera's companions before she died on January 1.

The prosecutor conducted the third hearing on the criminal complaint on Wednesday as part of the process to determine whether to file charges against the respondents in court.

Last week, the police submitted to the prosecutor a medico legal report from the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory stating that Dacera died of a ruptured aneurysm in her aorta that was triggered by an increase in blood pressure.

The report ruled out homicide in the 23-year-old's death. Her family, which believes there was foul play, is contesting this report.

The family spokesperson said last week that they would rather give weight to the findings of the NBI, which conducted its own autopsy on Dacera's remains.—AOL, GMA News