MANILA – The mother of Christine Dacera, the flight attendant found unconscious in a Makati hotel after a new year's eve party and later pronounced dead, met Wednesday with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas and other police officers as the investigation into the controversial death drags on.

The Dacera family, led by Christine's mother Sharon, together with the police, held a press conference to discuss details of the ongoing case.

In the afternoon of January 1, Christine was found unconscious in a bathtub inside a Makati City hotel she and her friends rented for a New Year party. She was brought to a hospital after failed resuscitation attempts but was pronounced dead on arrival.

• The Night Of: The Final Hours of Christine Dacera

The PNP and the camp of Dacera claimed the victim was sexually abused and slain, but the accusations are being disputed by her companions, most of them self-identifying as gay.

• Suspect in Dacera case: New Year party companions were gay, had no reason to hurt her

Eleven persons were named respondents in the rape-homicide complaint filed by the family.

In the press conference, Sinas said he believed Dacera was sexually assaulted, citing lacerations in her vagina.

Naniniwala si PNP Chief General Debold Sinas na nahalay ang napatay na flight attendant na si Christine Dacera. kinumpirma rin na padadalhan ng subpoena ang lahat ng suspek pic.twitter.com/bESnwJLYQW

— doland castro (@dolandcastro) January 6, 2021

"Based on elements of rape, present po," Sinas told the media.

But on Wednesday afternoon, the Makati City Prosecutor's Office ordered the release of the 3 detained suspects pending preliminary investigation of the flight attendant's death.

• Makati prosecutor orders release of 3 suspects in Dacera death, case for further investigation