As if slamming the police’s handling of the case, Malacañang said it does not believe that the case of Christine Angela Dacera is already closed.
“As of now it’s a continuing investigation. The NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) has gotten involved in it so hintayin po natin na ma-conclude iyong ating imbestigasyon (Let’s wait for the conclusion). Obviously, dahil meron pang hininging ebidensya ang piskal (because the prosecutor is asking for pieces of evidence), the case is not yet closed,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday.
He added that the Makati Prosecutor’s Office asked for additional evidence on the case. Also on Wednesday, the prosecutor’s office ordered the Makati City Police to release the three suspects on the case.
“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 from detention,” Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ordered released from detention are John Pascual Dela Serna 3rd, Rommel Galido, and John Paul Halili. The Makati Police said earlier they had identified at least 11 suspects.
The prosecutor’s office said the complaint against the three and the other suspects will be subjected to further investigation on January 13 to determine if Dacera was raped and/or killed, and if so, determine who were the perpetrators. Also, the actual cause of death will also be determined by the probe ordered by the prosecutor’s office.
The family of Dacera has cast doubts on the initial autopsy report showing that she died of natural causes, and insisted that she was raped and beaten up.
The Makati Police Chief also said there were signs that Dacera was raped, and that she had injuries in parts of her body.
The Philippine National Police also believes what the Makati City Police did was right, saying there was no lapses made in the investigation on the case.
“We will not fault the local police because they were just doing their job. In the desire to have their objective of solving the case is met with such efficiency, they just thought that was it. Since the prosecutor sent back the case for further investigation that was simply it. Further investigate,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said in a message to reporters late on Wednesday.
The 23-year old Dacera was found dead in a bath tub of a room of a Makati hotel last January 1. CURRENTPH
