Opinion: Christine Dacera's Sensationalized Death Is Not A 'Teleserye' And She Deserves Some Privacy

I was one of the many Filipinos who were outraged when news of a 23-year-old flight attendant's "rape-slay" case after a New Year's Eve party with friends, as it was officially dubbed by the police, circulated on social media. I was horrified at the thought of her own friends taking advantage of her, men whom she trusted. I joined the call for justice for Christine Dacera, and was part of the #StopVictimBlaming "movement." I refrained from sharing photos of the "suspects" on social media, but that didn't mean their names weren't seared into my brain. 

And then new details came to light: Several of the alleged suspects came forward and released statements saying that they were gay and would never harm Christine. On New Year's Eve, Christine was with her friends in room 2209 of the City Garden Hotel in Makati, but they reportedly partied with another group staying in room 2207. Her companions claimed that they took care of an intoxicated Christine on the night of the party, and that they were the ones who found Christine unconscious in the bathtub of their hotel room and brought her to the hospital, where she was declared dead.

"Her privacy is being violated and she's not here to defend herself."

Initial findings showed that the cause of death was an aneurysm, but Christine's family disputed this and asked for "another post mortem report," believing that she was drugged and sexually abused. Eventually, the three arrested "suspects" were released, and even a PNP chief admitted that their "solved" investigation had "insufficient evidence." In an interview, four of Christine's male friends and fellow flight attendants vehemently denied having a hand in her death and added that on the night of the party, Christine told one of them that she suspected someone else spiked her drink.

The investigation regarding Christine's cause of death is ongoing, but one thing remains clear: Yes, we should seek justice for Christine, we should hold authorities accountable for how they handled the investigation, but that doesn't mean we get to have a say on how she lived her life. Her privacy is being violated and she's not here to defend herself.

"We have to remember that what we've been seeing are mere snippets of Christine's life, but everyone's already forming opinions about her personality and her character, based solely on them."

People on Twitter have been lamenting that the case has become a "circus." Christine doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve the judgment, she doesn't deserve to be victim-blamed if there was foul play involved. Her photos have been circulated everywhere, every detail of her life that's available online is being analyzed, every conversation she had on New Year's Eve has become a crass, sensationalized headline. Photos of her bruised body were aired on national television, clips of CCTV footage from her "final hours" were shared in Facebook groups, and photos of an autopsy report, which should have been confidential, are all over the internet. What's more horrifying is that there are even memes related to the case now.

Everyone has a theory. People feel like they have to have a say in Christine's death, her partying, her clothes, her "wild" ways, the company she kept. The Facebook comments sections of news articles are especially hurtful, as we see her being called a "cautionary tale," mostly by Boomers, even though we don't know the full story yet. We have to remember that what we've been seeing are mere snippets of Christine's life, but everyone's already forming opinions about her personality and her character, based solely on them.

Here's how Christine's own friends have described her: In an emotional eulogy, one of her college friends wrote, "We refuse to let the circumstances of her death define who she was in life—endlessly forgiving, sincere, hardworking, and excellent in everything she puts her heart to. A filial daughter, a loving sister, a model student, an inspiring dancer, and a reliable forever friend." Before becoming a flight attendant, Christine studied Communication Arts at the University of the Philippines Mindanao, graduated Cum Laude, and was a member of the school's dance company. One of her friends posted photos of Christine during a dance performance on Twitter, writing: "Hope 'di pa too late para ma-recognize si Ica as an artist. She's more than just someone who was [redacted]. We want to remember and honor her for her craft and artistry. Labyu, bhe." Another shared screenshots from an experimental film she made and said: "I want people to know that more than her pretty face, we should also celebrate Ica's artistry and passion." Philippine Airlines called her "an upstanding and professional PAL Express crew member," while UP Mindanao's Department of Human Kinetics said Christine was "an exemplar of honor and excellence in balancing her academics and passion for performing arts." These are people who actually knew Christine: maybe they're the ones we should be listening to. 

And while we're on the subject of privacy, I think it's important to note that the privacy of the alleged suspects was also violated. After the PNP released an official report with the list of the "suspects'" names (the official Facebook post has since been taken down), their private photos were shared all over social media. Politicians even placed a "bounty offer" for the capture of the "suspects" and they are reportedly being followed, their movements recorded. In an interview, several shared that they are actually fearing for their lives and have asked lawmakers to recall the bounty. People have also noted that because of the case, some of the alleged suspects have been forced to come out on national television regarding their sexual orientation or gender identity, something no one should have to go through. 

There are so many layers to Christine's case, but we shouldn't forget that there are also plenty of national issues we seem to have forgotten about: the homicide case of a cop who shot a mother and son still isn't "solved," the COVID-19 virus is very much present and the Philippines is still waiting for a vaccine, and PhilHealth corruption allegations amounting to P15 billion are still up in the air. Again, we didn't know Christine—or her friends—and it's time to stop sensationalizing her death. 

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Source: Cosmo PH