A Philippine Airlines flight attendant has died at a New Year’s Eve party – and all 11 men who were with her have been charged with rape and murder.
Christine Angelica Dacera, 23, was found unconscious in the empty bathtub of her room at the City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati City in early January 1, The Philippine Daily Inquirer said.
Friends and hotel staff rushed the Filipino stewardess to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, officials told the newspaper.
She appears to have initially died of an aneurysm, but police said she also had “tear wounds and sperm in her genitals” as well as scratches on her arms and legs.
“Based on the initial investigation, sexual abuse took place,” Brig. Genl. Ilderbrandi Usana told the newspaper.
Makati City police on Monday filed a preliminary charge of rape with murder against 11 men who were with her during the party, the newspaper said. The charges are preliminary, as officials are still looking forward to the results of the final autopsy and toxicology.
Three of the suspects were arrested while the others were still being hunted, Col said. Makold City Police Chief Harold Deposita told the Daily Inquirer.
“Only three of them were Dacera’s friends. The others were almost strange to her, as they were only known to her three friends, ‘said the police chief.
He told CNN Philippines that the suspects had “contradictory” stories – some even said they were gay.
But the police chief insisted that everyone in the room was equally responsible for refusing to stop the fatal rape of Dacera, who was from neighboring South Cotabato.
“It simply came to our notice then. They could have stopped it, “he told Balitaan, according to CNN. “It’s a classic example that an act of all is an act of all.”
The police chief insisted that ‘violence’ should still be blamed, even though further tests confirm that she has an aneurysm.
‘There was definitely power on the body. “The bruises, the abrasions, the tears … this is not normal in the community,” he told CNN.
Dacera was a flight attendant at Philippine Airlines (PAL) Express, who said he was ‘mourning the tragic death’.
“We want the truth to come out in the interests of justice,” the company told the newspaper on Tuesday.
Her mother, Sharon Dacera, appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte, saying her daughter had been treated ‘like a pig’ in the ‘barbaric’ crime.
“Christine does not deserve this brutality … they should be punished,” the grieving mother said according to the Daily Inquirer.
A lawyer for the family, Jose Ledda, denied that the stewardess would have died from drunk, consensual sex.
“If it was consistent or voluntary, why is Christine not here to answer your questions?” he told CNN.
Officials also revealed that they are investigating the City Garden Grand Hotel, which has been designated a quarantine hotel banned from holding guest parties. CNN said.
The tourism department writes that it threatens to suspend the hotel’s accreditation unless it can provide a sufficient explanation within three days, according to a letter obtained by the store.