THE director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Thursday, January 7, 2021, said he was not convinced that flight attendant Christine Dacera was raped, contradicting Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas who had insisted on a rape-slay case.
NCRPO Director Vicente Danao Jr. said there was not enough evidence of rape in the death of the 23-year-old flight attendant.
"'Yan po talaga sinabi ko. Sinabi ko na I'm not really that convinced when I read 'yung mga documents, kaya lang po nai-file na rin so nandoon na rin," Danao said in a radio interview.
"'Yung pagka-file ng case na 'yan dahil sa eagerness po ng ating kapulisan na mai-file kaagad pero ako sabi ko nga honestly speaking eh kung baga sa mangga ay medyo hilaw pa," he added.
Danao said the circumstances of Dacera’s death pointed to a rave, a party where illegal drugs and alcohol are believed to be used.
"Sa nakita po namin, it is a rave party 'yung nangyari," Danao said.
"Talagang magkakaroon po ng aneurysm, 'yun po ang sabi ng ibang mga doktor na kilala ko. That would be one of the cause, 'yung heavy drinking coupled with drugs lalo na at party drugs eh talagang puputok 'yan, mag-rupture. Hindi ko alam kung gaano katotoo 'yun," he added.
He said police recovered bottles of different kinds of alcoholic beverages in the hotel rooms used by the group.
However, there were no traces of illegal drugs, Danao said.
Dacera’s family claimed she was drugged. She was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her hotel room on New Year’s Day. Attempts to revive her failed and she was pronounced dead in a hospital.
An autopsy report, however, said Dacera died of ruptured aortic aneurysm.
Sinas has insisted that Dacera was raped, citing the lacerations and fluid in her vagina.
Danao said they were awaiting the result of a toxicology test.
"Kaya 'yung result supposedly ng toxicology is very important kaya nga po ang focus natin ngayon is more on forensic evidence na," he added. (SunStar Philippines)