President Duterte vowed justice for Christine Dacera, the flight attendant who was found dead in a hotel in Makati City after a New Year's Eve party last week, Malacañang said.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after the Makati City Prosecutor's Office ordered the release of three suspects linked to the controversial death of Dacera, citing more evidence is needed to prove if it was indeed a rape-slay case.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said that justice will be served under the Duterte administration.
"Ang pangako naman po ng Presidente ay makakamit po ang katarungan sa pamilyang Dacera. Malalaman po natin ang katotohanan (The President promised that the Dacera family will get justice. We will find out the truth)," he said.
"Sa administrasyon po ni Presidente, dahil siya ay abugado at dati pang piskal, hindi niya hahayaan na ang mga kriminal ay hindi po mapaparusahan (Because he is a lawyer and a former prosecutor, the President will not let criminals go unpunished)," he added.
Roque, in particular, cited the guilty verdict of three Ampatuan brothers and 25 others in 2019 for the death of 57 persons in the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.
"Kinailangang maging presidente si Presidente Duterte bago natapos nag kaso na iyan. Ganyan din po ang pangako ni Presidente sa pamilya Dacera (President Duterte needed to become president first before that case was resolved. He is making the same promise to the Dacera family)," he said.
Police had filed rape and homicide charges against the arrested suspects due to the presence of bruises, lacerations, and fluids on Dacera's body. However, the Makati prosecutor's office said there was not enough evidence to prove these allegations.
Release of suspects
Despite not wanting to make speculations, Roque said that the prosecutor's decision to release John Pascual dela Serna III, Rommel Galido, and John Paul Halili was according to the rules of criminal procedure.
He said that the prosecutors did this so they can make sure that the case will not be dismissed.
"'Wag po kayong mag-alala kung ang piskal ay nagdesisyon na kailangan magkaroon ng regular na preliminary investigation (Do not worry if the prosecution decided that there should be a preliminary investigation)," Roque said.
"'Yan po ay makakabuti dahil ang gusto ng piskal ay magkaroon ng additional na ebidensya nang sa gayon, kapag naisampa ang kaso, dire-diretso na po sa Muntinlupa ang mga magiging akusado (That is a good thing because the prosecution wants to have additional evidence so when they file the case, the suspects will be sent straight to jail)," he added.
"Ang layon po nito ay para ma-convict beyond reasonable doubt ang mga suspect sa karumaldumal na pagpatay na ito (The objective here is to convict beyond reasonable doubt the suspects in this grisly homicide)," he continued.
Case closed…not
Roque, who is a former private prosecutor, said the case is far from closed or solved like what the Philippine National Police (PNP) had earlier said.
"Obviously, dahil meron pang mga hininging ebidensiya ang ating fiscal, case is not yet closed (Since the prosecution is asking for more evidence, the case is not yet closed)," he said.
According to Roque, it is a good thing that the fiscal asked for more physical evidence since the lack of it may get their case thrown out the window.
"Mas mabuti po kasi talaga itong mga physical evidence dahil hindi po 'yan nagsisinungaling, hindi nasusuhulan, hindi natatakot (It is better that they have physical evidence because they don't lie, get bribed, or get scared)," he said.
"I can only agree with the decision of the fiscal na kinakailangang isumite ang physical evidence nang sa gayon ay pag naisampa ang kaso, hindi po 'yan magdi-dismiss for lack of evidence (That the police needs to submit physical evidence so their case won't get dismiss for lack of evidence)," he added.
Do not make speculations
Roque said that people should not make speculations about the case since it is a live investigation.
He made the statement after Makati police chief Police Col. Harold Depositar said that the masculine sexual instinct of gay men will kick in if they are intoxicated.
"This is a live investigation. Let us not speculate po hanggang malaman natin ang lahat ng katotohanan (until we know the truth)," he said.
The suspects, who are Dacera's gay friends, insisted that they cannot sexually harass their friend because they are homosexuals.
According to Roque, it is only normal for the accused to defend themselves.
"Pero natural lang din naman sa lahat ng nasasakdal na magsabi ng depensa. Malay natin kung totoo nga, no (It's normal for the accused to state their defense. Who knows, maybe they are telling the truth)?" he said.
"So hintayin muna natin ang ebidensiya (let's wait for the evidence) and then we will find out," he added.
An initial autopsy report by the police medico-legal revealed that Dacera died of a "ruptured aortic aneurysm" with no traces of seminal fluids found, contrary to the claim of the PNP.