TV actor and comedian Vhong Navarro surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation in line with his case of Acts of Lasciviousness filed by model-stylist Deniece Cornejo. He is expected to post bail and be released.
Based on the order released to the public this morning, the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 Judge Angela Francesca Din, found “probable cause” to hold the comedian-host for trial after personally evaluating and taking into consideration the information, as well as the allegations, in the complaint affidavit executed by the offended party [Cornejo], which were all under oath, together with supporting documents as evidence.
“As probable cause exists to hold the accused for trial, let a Warrant of Arrest be issued against accused Ferdinand “Vhong” H. Navarro,” the order further entailed.
However, the Trial Court has also recommended bail of P36,000, but the Acts of Lasciviousness is separate from the earlier case of rape filed against the actor-comedian, which allegedly happened on January 22, 2014.
In a briefer on 2014, Cornejo initially claimed that Navarro raped her in her condominium unit on January 22 of the same year, but later voiced out that she was also raped by the actor five [5] days prior to it, on January 17, also of the same year.
Earlier on August 2022, the Court of Appeals (CA) junked and reversed the Department of Justice (DOJ) debunking of Cornejo’s complaints against Navarro, then rules out both the rape and acts of lasciviousness case against the actor.
Navarro’s legal counsel, Alma Mallonga, backtracked the events of January 22, 2014, regarding the actor’s statement that he was “detained, mauled, threatened, and tied up” by Cedric Lee and his friends, also Cornejo’s acquaintances.
Mallonga further detailed that it could be seen on the CCTV footage in the elevator of the condominium unit that Cornejo was “smiling, even apparently suppressing giggles, as she looks at her reflection, making it clear that she was a victim of rape/attempted rape/acts of lasciviousness” during that day.
Navarro will also seek the reconsideration of the order of warrant of arrest. “Mr. Navarro reiterates that he is the victim of the crimes of Serious Illegal Detention and Grave Coercion,” Mallonga said.
Discussion about this post