11 men suspected of gang rape and murder after flight attendant was found dead in bathtub

(Trigger warning: this article contains information about sexual assault and violence)

Christine Angelica Dacera was found dead in the bathtub of a hotel room after a New Year’s Eve party. 

  • The flight attendant had been celebrating NYE with her friends at the City Garden Hotel in Makati, Philippines.
  • 11 men have been charged with rape and homicide although these charges are provisional. 
  • Although Dacera’s initial reports suggest that she died from an aneurysm, police believe that she was gang-raped and killed as reports also found “lacerations and sperm in her genitalia”.
Christine Angelica Dacera (Newsflash/Australscope)

A 23-year-old flight attendant for Philippine Airlines has been found dead.

Christine Angelica Dacera was celebrating New Year’s Eve with her friends at the City Garden Hotel in Makati, Philippines. Yahoo News reported that one of Dacera’s friends, Rommel Galida, had woken up at 10 am and found her asleep in the bathtub; he had then covered her with a blanket and gone back to sleep. A few hours later, Galida had reportedly found Dacera in the same position, unconscious, and turning blue. The woman was rushed to the Makati Medical Clinic where she was pronounced dead.

Police have filed a provisional charge of rape with homicide against 11 men.

According to the Sun, Makati City police chief Colonel Harold Depositar explained that 11 men have been charged with rape with homicide although the charges are provisional. The Sun further reported that the men were allegedly occupying two adjacent rooms at the time of Dacera’s death. The charges are provisional as police await the toxicology report on Dacera. Colonel Depositar explained that out of the 11 men, only three were Dacera’s friends. “The others were practically strangers to her, as they were only known to her three friends,” he said. While three of the men have been arrested, the other eight have not been found.

Newsflash/Australscope

An initial report revealed that Dacera had suffered an aneurysm. 

Yahoo News reported that Dacera’s initial reports suggested that the stewardess had died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. Despite this report, Makati police believe that the woman was raped and killed as Col Depositor told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the report also revealed “lacerations and sperm in her genitalia.” Speaking to the Inquirer, he further disclosed: “For sure, there was force inflicted on her body because we found contusions in her leg and knees, and there’s an abrasion in her thigh.”

Brick Reyes, the Dacera family’s lawyer and spokesperson commented. 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Reyes revealed that the family wanted a second autopsy as they believe that they have not been provided with sufficient information. Taking this further, Reyes maintained that Dacera had allegedly been drugged and abused. Reyes explained that according to Dacera’s family, the 23-year-old had complained that she “had already experienced intoxication and complained that her drinks appeared to have been spiked.” Speaking about the initial report, Reyes said “It is not complete as far as we are concerned […] We also believe that maybe the aneurysm was a proximate cause but it is also very possible it was triggered by the assault prior to her death.”

Newsflash/Australscope

Dacera’s mother vowed to never stop fighting for justice, reported Yahoo News.

I want to come out in the open because I don’t want that somebody will be a victim by this kind of brutality, barbaric. You treated her like a pig. I don’t want this to happen to another woman who will be treated like that. That is why I will fight for my daughter’s case.

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