JUSTICE. Close friends and members of the Dacera family “celebrate the life” of the late flight attendant Christine Angela during her funeral Sunday morning (Jan. 10, 2020) at the Forest Lake Memorial Park in General Santos City. The 23-year-old alleged “rape-slay” victim was laid to rest amid calls for justice over her death. (PNA photo by Richelyn Gubalani)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Alleged “rape-slay” victim, flight attendant Christine Angela Dacera, was laid to rest in a private cemetery in this city on Sunday morning amid calls for justice over her “untimely death.”
Over 100 mourning family members and close friends of Dacera joined the somber funeral and “celebration of Christine’s life” at the Forest Lake Memorial Park in Barangay Apopong here past 10 a.m.
“Please pray for us as we continue to fight for justice for Christine,” her mother, Sharon Rose, said during the interment program.
She reiterated they will not stop until all personalities allegedly involved in the death of her daughter, whom authorities and family members “strongly believed” was a victim of sexual abuse, will be jailed and convicted of the crime.
Sharon appealed for understanding and continuous support for her family “since we still don’t know who did this to her and we need ourselves to be protected also.”
Christine, 23, was found dead in her hotel room in Makati City around noon last Jan. 1, several hours after joining a private New Year’s Eve party.
The initial autopsy conducted by the Southern Police District’s Crime Laboratory Office ruled the cause of death as “ruptured aortic aneurysm” but the Makati City police and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Debold Sinas, declared it as a case of “rape-slay.”
Forensic experts from the National Bureau of Investigation conducted another autopsy on Christine’s remains here on Saturday night as part of the ongoing investigation.
Janessa Villota, Christine’s friend and classmate at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Mindanao in Davao City, called her passing as “unjust, unfair and
undeserved.”
“(This) could happen to anyone and everyone if the people involved are not held accountable,” she said.
Villota said they are “devastated” at how the media has been framing their friend’s death based on speculations and claims from various parties.
“She is who deserves to live. We will not be silenced, we will not let this case be ignored or forgotten after this burial. We will fight for the truth, we will fight for you,” she added.
‘Good daughter’
Sharon said Christine, whom they fondly called “Lyca” or “Ica,” was a loving and good daughter “who only wants the best for her family.”
“You know why she chose to become a flight attendant? It’s because she wants to take us for a tour around the world,” she said.
Christine’s aunt Mimi Dacera, who took care and acted as her “second mother” while she was studying at UP Mindanao, described her as “sweet, good-hearted and loving child.”
She said her niece lived a short yet full life that is worthy of celebration.
“I believe she’s now with our creator…we love you Lyca and just say au revoir (goodbye until we meet again),” she said.
Christine, who grew up in this city, finished her BA Communication Arts major in Media Arts at UP Mindanao in 2017 as cum laude, and was a member of the university’s dance ensemble.
She worked as flight attendant of the Philippine Airlines or PAL Express until her death. (PNA)
