MANILA, Philippines — “Paano po naging rape? Bakla po ako. Never po ako nakipagtalik sa babae ever in my life.”
(How did it become rape? I am gay. I never had sex with any woman ever in my life.)
Gregorio de Guzman, one of the 11 persons being tagged in the death of Christine Angela Dacera, had this to say Tuesday amid police findings that the 23-year-old flight attendant was raped and slain in a Makati City hotel as the nation welcomed the new year.
The son of veteran singer-turned-businesswoman Claire dela Fuente recalled during an interview with ABS-CBN TV Patrol that Dacera, their friends, and other companions were having a blast during the New Year celebration – hours before he discovered his friend unconscious in the empty bathtub of their hotel room.
“Tuwang-tuwa si Tin (Dacera). Ang saya namin. Iyon po ang naaalala ko.”
(Tin was so happy. We are happy. That is what I remember)
He also revealed that he performed Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on Dacera upon seeing that his friend was not waking up.
“Sa bandang isip ko bakit ayaw niya [Dacera] gumising? Nahihirapan na ako, tumutuyo na iyong bibig ko. Naaalala ko noong malambot pa siya, naaalala ko, binuhat namin siya gamit noong arms niya. Noong palabas ng [bath]tub, warm pa siya,” a tearful De Guzman said.
(I was thinking back then why Dacera was not waking up? I am already tired, my lips were already dried. I recalled that she was still warm, soft when we pulled her out of the bathtub.)
De Guzman further noted that around six or eight men who joined their New Year’s Eve celebration were also gay.
“Six or 8. Kapag notice ko po, lahat po sila mga lalaki, at parang bakla kagaya namin,” he said. (Six or eight were men and probably gay like us.)
De Guzman is one of the 11 suspects who were named in the provisional charge of rape with homicide complaint filed by the Makati City police before the prosecutor’s office over Dacera’s death.
Three of the 11 individuals are already under the custody of Makati City police while the prosecutor’s office evaluates the complaint.