Dacera case: NBI to summon embalmer

MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is set to summon the embalmer who preserved the body of flight attendant Christine Dacera to shed light on her death, an official said yesterday.

NBI probers are “winding up their investigation. As far as I know, their forensic examination is done, they have a toxicology report, but you know the NBI is trying to be as thorough as possible,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said during the Laging Handa press briefing.

He said they are “trying to cover all bases so they are looking for more witnesses, (such as) the embalmer, and they will look for mobile phones that will be subjected to forensic examination.”

The NBI is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Guevarra said the NBI will submit its final report on Dacera’s case before the conclusion of the preliminary investigation conducted by the DOJ.

Guevarra earlier said that a joint investigation of the NBI and the Philippine National Police (PNP) might no longer be feasible after the police submitted its final report last week, concluding Dacera died of natural causes.

Asked what would happen if the NBI report contradicts that of the PNP, Guevarra said it is not impossible but he emphasized that the investigating prosecutor in Makati City might call for a “clarificatory hearing” to examine the scientific basis of each report.

The issue, according to Guevarra, is whether there had been rape with homicide.

The NBI conducted its own investigation of Dacera’s death as the public questioned the credibility of the PNP’s investigation after PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the case was closed following the detention of some persons of interest in the case.

The Makati City prosecutor, however, ordered the PNP to release the persons of interest and conduct a thorough investigation of the case.