MANILA – Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Friday said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will examine the mobile phones of 23-year-old flight attendant Christine Dacera as part of its probe to find out the truth behind her death.
“The NBI has subpoenaed Christine Dacera’s phone so that a digital examination of its contents could be done. The NBI expects to finish this by early next week so that its report could be submitted to and considered by the investigating prosecutor in the resolution of the case,” Guevarra said in a message to newsmen.
Dacera's phones, along with that of the respondents, had been initially placed under custody by authorities but has since been released to the family and the respondents.
The case before the prosecutors is submitted for resolution and it remains unclear whether the parties will be allowed time to ask the prosecutors to incorporate the NBI report or dispute it before it is included in the final findings.
Last month, police forensic experts who examined the tissues of the internal organs of the deceased flight attendant ruled that the cause of her death is "natural".
The report, signed by Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory Medico-Legal Officer Lt. Col. Joseph Palmero, also ruled out homicide as the cause of Dacera's death, noting that an aortic aneurysm is considered a medical condition.
Dacera was found dead in her hotel room in Makati City at around noon of Jan. 1 after a private New Year’s Eve party with her friends.
The initial autopsy by the Southern Police District’s Crime Laboratory Office on Dacera showed that the cause of her death was “ruptured aortic aneurysm". (PNA)
