By Deighton Acuin

PHOTO: Inquirer.net

One of the respondents in the case of flight attendant Christine Dacera’s death said Wednesday he was “forced” by policemen to lie and accuse individuals of spiking Dacera’s drink during the New Year’s night party.

Rommel Galido said Dacera informed him that a certain individual named Mark Anthony Rosales put something in her drink causing her to feel unwell.

However, at a press conference, Galido said he was “forced” by police to naming Rosales.

“Fino-force kami na dapat magsabi, magturo kami ng someone kapalit ng kalayaan namin. Siyempre, wala akong alam kung anong dapat gawin. Gulong-gulo ‘yung isip ko,” he recalled.

“Any options i-grab [ko] para matapos na ‘to kasi ayaw ko na, pagod na pagod na ‘yung katawan ko. Sabi ko do’n, si Mark. Si Mark ‘yung nasabi ko which is hindi naman dapat talaga kasi wala namang sinabi si Christine na Mark. Pero ‘yun ‘yung parang pinipilit.”

Earlier in the day, another respondent JP Dela Serna III retracted his previous remark identifying Rosales as the person who brought drugs during the party.

Dela Serna was “pressured” by Makati police to make a statement, according to his lawyer.

“Not only that they were pressured, they were intimidated, they were manipulated. Words were put into their mouths. They were subjected to psychological warfare because they lacked sleep, they were under duress,” lawyer Mike Santiago said.

Dacera was found dead in a bathtub of a hotel in Makati City last January 1, a day after she checked in together with her friends to celebrate the new year.

Three people tagged in her death, including Dela Serna, were arrested but later released on the orders of the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, who said “the pieces of evidence so far submitted are insufficient to establish that she was sexually assaulted or raped.”


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