THE Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to ask courts to issue a precautionary hold departure order against the suspects implicated in the death of flight attendant Christine Angelica Dacera.
This is to prevent them from hastily leaving the country and evade prosecution, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra yesterday said.
“If the evidence is substantial enough, the prosecutor may request the proper court for the issuance of a precautionary HDO pending inquest or preliminary investigation, as the case may be,” Guevarra said.
Dacera was found unconscious in the bathtub of her hotel room in Makati City on New Year’s Day following a party with friends the night before.
Hotel personnel tried to revive Dacera before she was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead.
Three suspects were arrested and were provisionally charged with the crime of rape with homicide during inquest proceedings before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office. The case is non-bailable.
They were identified as John Pascual Dela Serna III, 27; Rommel Daluro Galido, 29; and John Paul Reyes Halili, 25. The case was filed on Monday.
Nine suspects remain at large. They are Gregorio Angelo de Guzman, Louie de Lima, Clark Jezreel Rapinan, Rey Englis, Mark Anthony Rosales, Jammyr Cunanan, Valentine Rosales, a certain Ed Madrid; and a certain Paul.
Tracker teams have been deployed to locate and contact the other persons of interest in the case, but there have been no responses as of yet.
Dacera’s case has sparked a nationwide outrage as calls for justice have been trending on social media.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will conduct a second autopsy on the remains of Dacera.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra confirmed this yesterday shortly after announcing that NBI forensic investigators will be providing assistance to the Philippine National Police to determine Dacera’s real cause of death.
“Yes, I was so informed by the OIC chief (NBI Officer-In-Charge Eric Distor), ” Guevarra said when asked if the NBI will be conducting a second autopsy.
Suspects released
Meanwhile, the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office yesterday decided to conduct a formal preliminary investigation into the death of Dacera, and in the process, ordered the immediate release from police custody of the three suspects.
The hearing for the preliminary investigation of the case was set on January 13, 2021 at 10 a.m.
In a three-page resolution, the inquest prosecutor also directed the Philippine National Police to submit evidence, such as the DNA analysis report, toxicology/chemical analysis, and the histopath examination report.
Ordered released were John Pascual Dela Serna III, Rommel Galido y Daluro, and John Paul Halili y Reyes.
“After a thorough evaluation of the facts and evidence presented during inquest proceedings, the Office of the City Prosecutor, Makati City resolved to refer the case for further investigation, and to release the arrested persons, namely: John Pascual Dela Serna III, Rommel Galido y Daluro, and John Paul Halili y Reyes, from detention.. ” the resolution read in part.
The prosecutor’s office underscored the need to conduct regular preliminary investigation to determine the following facts: (1) whether Christine Angelica F. Dacera was raped and/or killed, and if yes, the identities of the persons responsible therefor, and; (2) whether the death was by reason or on occasion of rape or for other reasons – the actual cause of death.
The same complaint against the other respondents namely, Gregorio Angelo Rafael De Guzman, Clark Rapinan, Valentine Rosales, Mark Anthony Rosales, Rey Ingles y Mabini, Louie De Lima, Jammyr Cunanan, and alias Ed Madrid, shall also undergo preliminary investigation.
Dacera was found unconscious in the bathtub of her hotel room in Makati City on New Year’s Day following a party with friends the night before.
Hotel personnel tried to revive her before she was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead.
Three suspects were arrested and were provisionally charged with the crime of rape with homicide during inquest proceedings before the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office. The case is non-bailable.
