MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has launched an investigation into the medico legal officer who ordered the embalming procedure on flight attendant Christine Dacera’s body prior to the conduct of an autopsy.
In an interview with the program ‘Get It Straight with Daniel Razon’ on Friday (January 8), PNP Spokesperson Ildebrandi Usana explained that such a move is a big blunder in crime investigation.
He noted that because of what the medico legal did, the main evidence in the crime has been destroyed and pertinent information that could possibly help in solving the case has been lost.
“Kasi iyong page-embalsamo ay lilinisin na po. Ang mangyayari po doon ay may mga gamot na po ang body ng biktima at isinagawa po ito ng medico legal officer ng PNP so ito’y malaking kathang isip sa proseso po ng investigation,” Usana said.
Usana added that the medico legal officer could face legal charges for the misstep.
“Ito ang isang bagay na ini-imbestighan po ngayon ng ating pulis. Both criminally at administratively ay posibleng managot dito ang medico legal officer for not complying with the procedures po,” the PNP Spokesporson said.
The official said that the statement given by Makati Chief of Police Col. Harold Depositar to the press regarding the rape with homicide angle was based only on the initial investigation and not from the result of the autopsy, hence it appeared to be in conflict with the official stand of the PNP.
“Kinonek po nila yan doon sa traces ng semen na nakita sa iba’t-ibang bahagi ng room. So the assumption is, this may have come from the people who were there and nai-connect din nila doon sa babae na sakaling mayroon ding traces that they are saying na may semen din doon sa parte ng katawan ng babae po aside from the contusion and lacerations po,” Usana explained.
Depositar initially said Dacera was raped based on the contusions and lacerations found on her knees and thighs.
These are aside from traces of seminal fluid that were allegedly found inside the room that Dacera occupied — although autopsy results says no traces of semen were found in Dacera’s genitalia and lacerations in the hymen are noted as “healed”. MNP (with reports from Lea Ylagan)
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