Prosecutor dismisses complaints against Christine Dacera companions

The City Prosecutor of Makati cleared Christine Dacera's companions of drug violation, obstruction of justice, perjury, and reckless imprudence resulting in homicide complaints.

In a statement on Monday, the city prosecutor said its January 31 resolution dismissed the complaints against the companions who were with Dacera when she died during a 2021 New Year's party.

“The Office of the City Prosecutor of Makati City, in its Resolution dated 31 January 2022, resolved to dismiss the consolidated complaints– which are the offshoot of the Christine Dacera case,” said the prosecutor in the resolution.

According to the resolution, there was no proof that Mark Anthony Rosales administered illegal drugs; nor was there proof to substantiate the reckless imprudence resulting in homicide complaint against John Pascual Dela Serna, Jezreel Rapinan, Alain Chen, and Louis De Lima.

Furthermore, since it was not shown that the alleged false statements on the use of party drugs at the hotel were material to the probe of Dacera’s death and alleged rape, the perjury charge against Galido, Dela Serna, and Darwin Joseph D. Macalla was also dismissed.

Rosales, Galido, Dela Serna, Macalla, Rapinan, Gregorio Angelo Rafael De Guzma, Alain D. Chen, Reymar Englis, and Atty. Neptali G. Maroto were also absolved from the obstruction of justice charge since “they were simply protecting their rights within the bounds of the law”.

The attempt to deliver illegal drugs complaint against Rosales and Galido was dismissed due to the absence of the dangerous drug itself, which was not submitted to the prosecutor as evidence.

Meanwhile, the falsification complaint against Dr. Michael Nick W. Sarmiento had “no leg to stand on” because it was not established that the facts narrated by the doctor were false, the prosecutor said. It added that Sarmiento merely relied on the available evidence.

Also dismissed were counter complaints filed against Dacera’s mother Sharon, family friend Marichi Ramos, cousin Katherine Anne Facelo, and investigators Police Corporal Louie Lopez and Police Staff Sergeant Jun Alimurong.

These included illegal detention, arbitrary detention, unlawful arrest, perjury, libel, slander, cyber libel, falsification, incriminating innocent persons, intriguing against honor, and malicious prosecution. — DVM, GMA News