OPINION
Bea Bernardo
EDITORIAL: Vhong Navarro vs Deniece Cornejo: A Fight For Justice
Photo Credit: Vhong Navarro and Deniece Cornejo Instagram
The legal battle between actor Ferdinand "Vhong" Navarro and model Deniece Cornejo is not yet over.
Eight years since the controversial condominium fiasco, the case was ordered by the Court of Appeals to be reviewed.
As a response, the City Prosecutor of Taguig filed a rape case against Navarro over the alleged rape of Cornejo.
Warrants of arrest are expected to be issued by a Judge soon. Navarro was accused of raping the victim through "force, threat, and intimidation and by purposely intoxicating" Cornejo on January 17, 2014 in her condominium in Taguig City.
The Review
The case gained prominence once more following the Court of Appeals’ decision dated July 21, 2022.
The CA 14th Division reversed and set aside the resolutions of the Department of Justice on April 30, 2018, and July 14, 2020, which dismissed the attempted rape against Navarro.
It said the preliminary investigation conducted by the Justice department is not the proper venue to determine the respondents' guilt or innocence.
"It was erroneous for the DOJ to deny Cornejo’s petition for review on the ground that her statements in the complaint-affidavits are inconsistent and incredible. In this regard, it bears to stress that the determination of probable cause does not depend on the validity or merits of a party’s accusation or defense or on the admissibility or veracity of testimonies presented,” the appeals court said.
The DOJ prosecutors junked the complaint of Cornejo due to major inconsistencies in her statement.
Cornejo accused the It's Showtime host of rape on January 22, 2014 inside her condo unit in Taguig City.
However, in her subsequent complaints, she also claimed that she was raped on January 17, 2014, and that the actor intoxicated her.
The January 22 incident also led to the mauling of Navarro after Cedric Lee and others beat the actor inside Cornejo’s condo unit before bringing him to the Southern Police District Police station.
Navarro filed a complaint and, in July 2018, the Taguig court said Lee, Cornejo, and their friend Jed Fernandez were guilty of grave coercion.
The prosecutors said the supposed rape was physically impossible after a CCTV footage shows Navarro entering the elevator on his way to Cornejo's unit and Cornejo entering the same elevator one minute later.
What to Expect
Taguig’s Regional Trial Court Branch 69 has been assigned to hear the rape case filed against the actor, while the case of acts of lasciviousness will be decided by Branch 116.
The raffling of cases was made despite the motion for reconsideration and motion for the issuance of the status quo ante order filed by Navarro’s camp.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Navarro maintained his innocence and reiterated that he did not rape Cornejo.
“Di ba paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, ang pagkakasala ko, ang kasalanan ko dito ay niloko ko ‘yung girlfriend ko noon at ito na ‘yung wife ko ngayon. Nilahad ko yung storya ko, at ayon yung buong katotohanan,” said Navarro.
Advocates Philippines is still reaching for Cornejo’s camp for a statement.
Eight years since the controversial condominium fiasco, the case was ordered by the Court of Appeals to be reviewed.
As a response, the City Prosecutor of Taguig filed a rape case against Navarro over the alleged rape of Cornejo.
Warrants of arrest are expected to be issued by a Judge soon. Navarro was accused of raping the victim through "force, threat, and intimidation and by purposely intoxicating" Cornejo on January 17, 2014 in her condominium in Taguig City.
The Review
The case gained prominence once more following the Court of Appeals’ decision dated July 21, 2022.
The CA 14th Division reversed and set aside the resolutions of the Department of Justice on April 30, 2018, and July 14, 2020, which dismissed the attempted rape against Navarro.
It said the preliminary investigation conducted by the Justice department is not the proper venue to determine the respondents' guilt or innocence.
"It was erroneous for the DOJ to deny Cornejo’s petition for review on the ground that her statements in the complaint-affidavits are inconsistent and incredible. In this regard, it bears to stress that the determination of probable cause does not depend on the validity or merits of a party’s accusation or defense or on the admissibility or veracity of testimonies presented,” the appeals court said.
The DOJ prosecutors junked the complaint of Cornejo due to major inconsistencies in her statement.
Cornejo accused the It's Showtime host of rape on January 22, 2014 inside her condo unit in Taguig City.
However, in her subsequent complaints, she also claimed that she was raped on January 17, 2014, and that the actor intoxicated her.
The January 22 incident also led to the mauling of Navarro after Cedric Lee and others beat the actor inside Cornejo’s condo unit before bringing him to the Southern Police District Police station.
Navarro filed a complaint and, in July 2018, the Taguig court said Lee, Cornejo, and their friend Jed Fernandez were guilty of grave coercion.
The prosecutors said the supposed rape was physically impossible after a CCTV footage shows Navarro entering the elevator on his way to Cornejo's unit and Cornejo entering the same elevator one minute later.
What to Expect
Taguig’s Regional Trial Court Branch 69 has been assigned to hear the rape case filed against the actor, while the case of acts of lasciviousness will be decided by Branch 116.
The raffling of cases was made despite the motion for reconsideration and motion for the issuance of the status quo ante order filed by Navarro’s camp.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Navarro maintained his innocence and reiterated that he did not rape Cornejo.
“Di ba paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, ang pagkakasala ko, ang kasalanan ko dito ay niloko ko ‘yung girlfriend ko noon at ito na ‘yung wife ko ngayon. Nilahad ko yung storya ko, at ayon yung buong katotohanan,” said Navarro.
Advocates Philippines is still reaching for Cornejo’s camp for a statement.
Sep 10, 2022
