Image: Instagram/@xtinedacera
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Manny Pacquiao is offering a P500,000 reward for the capture of the suspects in the rape and death of young flight attendant Christine Dacera.
Pacquiao said he personally knows the Dacera family since they are also from General Santos City, adding that he has also met Christine before.
The senator also appealed to the suspects to come out and defend themselves should they be innocent.
“Magbibigay ako ng P500,000 doon sa makahuli ng mga gumawa,” Pacquiao said in an interview with radio station DZRH.
Following the crime, Pacquiao renewed his call for the reinstitution of death penalty in the country which, he said, should cover rape with murder, drug-related charges, and kidnap-for-ransom.
“Ang apela ko na bigyan ng consideration yung apela natin, yung bill natin, na nawa’y maintindihan na ‘yung batas na ito ay hindi lang para sa isa, lahat tayo na nandito. Kailangan ng ating gobyerno ng bahay ng isang pamalo na matindi,” Pacquiao said in his appeal to his fellow lawmakers.
ACT-CIS Partylist Rep. Eric Yap on Tuesday morning also announced a P100,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of the suspects.
“Walang lugar sa lipunan natin ang mga sangkot sa krimen na ito. Tayo ay magbibigay ng P100,000 para sa makikipag-ugnayan sa PNP at makakapagturo sa kinaroroonan ng mga suspek o sa mga may kinalaman sa krimen na ito na pinaghahanap pa…” Yap said in a Facebook post.
The Makati City police have filed with the prosecutor’s office a provisional charge of rape with homicide against several men for the Dacera’s death.
The flight attendant was found in an empty bathtub of a hotel room where she celebrated New Year’s eve with some friends.
Dacera, however, was later declared dead at a hospital.