Makati prosecutors junk criminal raps filed by police over Christine Dacera’s death

The Makati City Prosecutor’s Office has dismissed the criminal complaint filed by the Philippine National Police against 11 individuals over the death of flight attendant Christine Dacera in January.

According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, the complaint for rape with homicide was dismissed for lack of probable cause. This means the prosecutors did not find sufficient evidence in order for the respondents to stand trial.

The respondents are John Pascual dela Serna III, Rommel Galido, John Paul Halili, Gregorio Angelo Rafael de Guzman, Jezreel Rapinan (alias Clark Rapinan), Alain Chen (aliases Valentine Rosales and Val), Mark Anthony Rosales, Reymar Englis, Louie Delima, Jamyr Cunanan, and Eduard Pangilinan III.

“Justice has prevailed,” said Mike Santiago, counsel for five of the 11 respondents, in a text message.

Dacera’s camp said they have not yet received an official copy of the April 23 resolution, which was prepared by Makati Assistant City Prosecutor Joan Bolina-Santillan.

“We will talk to the client regarding this. As what we have consistently said, we will exhaust all remedies under the law to protect the rights of our client,” said Jose Ledda III, one of the lawyers for the Dacera family.

The Makati prosecutors have yet to resolve the complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), including violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act, perjury, obstruction of justice, and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

Dacera, 23, died on January 1 after a New Year's Eve celebration with her friends at a hotel in Makati. Her family believes she was drugged and sexually abused.

Dacera's friends, however, insisted they did not harm her, instead claiming that they took care of her when she was heavily drunk and until her final moments.

A medico legal report of the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory ruled out homicide as the cause of death. Instead, the report said Dacera died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm that was triggered by an increase in blood pressure.

The NBI also suggested last month that the cause of death was aneurysm.

Dacera’s friends have already filed countercharges against the flight attendant’s mother and some police officers, whom they accused of malicious prosecution, slander, and perjury.—AOL, GMA News