Dacera case suspects say cops pressed them to hint presence of drugs during party

MANILA, Philippines — Two persons tagged in the alleged rape-killing of Christine Dacera claimed the police pressured them to say there was a presence of illegal drugs during the New Year’s party they all attended at a Makati City hotel.

In an interview with reporters at Makati City Hall on Wednesday, Atty. Abigail Portugal said the hint of drug use was supplied by the police after putting John Paul dela Serna and Rommel Galido “to mental torture and misrepresentation.”

Portugal is the counsel of Dela Serna and Galido, as well as three other respondents to the Dacera case, namely, Gregorio De Guzman, Clark Rapinan, and Valentine Rosales.

“The powder issue insinuating drug use actually came from the mouths of PNP [Philippine National Police] Makati. It was added by them after subjecting the two [Galido, Dela Serna] detained to mental torture and misrepresentation, that they will be released from detention and no charges will be filed, if ever they will come up with fabricated, tampered afterthought, object and scientific medico-legal evidence,” the lawyer said.

Asked to identify those who allegedly pressured her clients into indicating in their affidavit the suggestion of drug use during the party, Portugal replied: “According to them, Makati police.”

Dela Serna and Galido were previously detained by the Makati City Police but were ordered released by the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, which returned the rape with homicide complaint back to the police after finding it lacking in evidence.

Portugal asserted that all her five clients tested negative for drug use.

“Yes, every one of them. Negative,” she said when asked if the respondents underwent drug testing.

Earlier, Dela Serna, Galido, De Guzman, Rapinan, and Rosales filed their counter-affidavit to the police’s provisional complaint of rape with homicide.

The PNP, for its part, moved to reset the hearing on Dacera’s case, as medical findings and autopsy reports on the matter remain pending.

INQUIRER.net sought comment from the PNP regarding the allegations of Portugal’s clients. As of this posting, however, the PNP has yet to give its response.

KGA