No coercion, mauling of Dacera’s friends by cops: NCRPO

MANILA – The National Capital Region Police (NCRPO) on Thursday denied claims made by friends of the late flight attendant Christine Dacera that they were coerced and beaten by Makati police officers into making false statements regarding the purported presence of illegal drugs during their private party in a hotel in Makati.

“They have been coming out on different social media platforms and they are saying the same story. They did not mention anything about them being beaten on their Facebook pages. Why is it that there is a story about them being beaten up now?,” NCRPO chief, Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. told reporters.

Danao said he has no idea why Dacera’s friends are now making such claims.

“Hindi natin alam (We do not know) for whatever reason. Sila lang nakakaalam pero (It is only them who know why but) as far as the Makati City police station is concerned, per information coming from the chief of police himself, there is no such thing as bugbugan (mauling), coercion, or anything about drugs where they were coerced into making statements,” he added.

On Wednesday, JP dela Serna and Rommel Galido admitted that they lied about one of their friends, Mark Anthony Rosales.

Dela Serna retracted his previous statements, saying he saw Rosales holding illegal drugs during the party.

Galido also retracted his statement that Dacera complained to him that Rosales spiked her drink.

He added that perjury charges may be filed against the two who admitted making false claims as they made their statements under oath.

He said they have amended the case during the preliminary hearing on Wednesday at the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office and included eight more persons of interest.

Danao said they are gathering more evidence that could help shed light on the case.

Dacera was found dead in her hotel room in Makati City around noon on Jan. 1, after a private New Year’s Eve party with her friends.

Prosecutors have rescheduled the hearing on the case to Jan. 27 as police investigators are still waiting for the results of forensics tests on Dacera’s body such as DNA analysis, toxicology/chemical analysis, histopathology examination, and laboratory results from the Makati Medical Center. (with Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)