After the blunders in their investigation on the death of flight attendant Christine Dacera, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Debold Sinas appealed to senators to believe that the police are still efficient and transparent in solving crimes in the country.
(Photo by Juan Carlo de Vela / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
During a hearing of the Senate justice and human rights committee on Thursday, January 28, Senator Maria Josefa Imelda Marcos questioned the PNP's annual crime solution reports as she raised the police's handling of the Dacera's case.
"Kasi litong-lito tayo sa pangyayari. Biglang 'case solved', by rape pa, tapos wala pang 48 hours baligtad na 'yong conclusion (Because we are really confused about what happened. Suddenly they declared that it's a 'case solved', and that the crime of rape was committed, but in less than 48 hours they reversed their conclusion)," Marcos said.
"Rape and murder, na wala naman palang katibayan, hindi naman pala maayos 'yong pagkaimbestiga. Maniniwala pa kaya kami dyan sa mga crime solution averages ninyo? (Declaring rape and murder when there was no evidence, when the investigation had not been proper. Should we still believe your crime solution averages)?" Marcos asked.
Sinas, in response, told Marcos to still believe the PNP, saying they are constantly correcting and improving their procedures.
"Ma'am, maniwala po kayo, ma'am (Please believe us, Ma'am)...Kaya nga kinokorrect po namin agad 'yong sarili namin at iniimbestigahan at inaaksyunan po namin agad, ma'am (That's why we are correcting ourselves, and we investigate and act immediately)," he said.
"We are practicing transparency, at responsive po kami sa mga puna (and we are responsive to criticisms)," he added.
Dacera, a 23-year-old flight attendant, was found unconscious in a Makati City hotel after a New Year's Eve party with at least three of her friends. She was brought to the Makati Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival.
Despite the lack of a medical report, police ruled that Dacera's death was a case of rape with homicide, supporting the family's claim.
Even Sinas insisted the flight attendant was raped, citing the bruises and lacerations in her body. Police were also reported saying that they also found traces of semen.
Last January 4, the PNP issued a statement that the case had already been "solved" with the arrest of three suspects and identification of others who were supposedly in the party with Dacera.
But on January 6, the Makati City Prosecutor's Office resolved that the case needs to be investigated further, saying the pieces of evidence submitted by the police were "insufficient to establish that was sexually assaulted or raped."
The prosecutor ordered the release of the detained suspects, who denied the charges.
On Wednesday, January 27, the Makati police submitted a hispathology report supporting the initial autopsy finding that Dacera died due to "ruptured aortic aneurysm".
During Thursday's hearing, Sinas said they are still waiting for the results of the toxicological examination of the alcohol and other fluids recovered from the hotel room.
He also told the senators that they are already reviewing their investigation procedures, including their "new normal" policies, to prevent the repeat of the mess. He earlier ordered the relief of Makati police chief Harold Depositar, two other police investigators and the medico-legal officer who conducted the initial autopsy to investigate their lapses in the probe.
"All of these would have been unnecessary, if the Makati police and the NCRPO had done their job in the first place," Marcos lamented.
"I hope we come to a conclusion so there is closure for the family," she added.