A Taguig court has found model Deniece Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee, and others guilty of illegally detaining television host Vhong Navarro in 2014.
In its 94-page ruling, the court said Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Simeon Raz are guilty beyond reasonable doubt of serious illegal detention for ransom under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.
The court sentenced them to life imprisonment or 40 years imprisonment.
“It is all too apparent that the accused planned and premeditated to restrain Vhong Navarro to extort money from him. Proof of their agreement is inferred from their conduct before, during, and after the commission of the crime,” the Taguig court added.
The court also noted that there was a common understanding among the accused when they detained Navarro.
The court also canceled the bail bond of the case.
“They asked for consideration. Ang sabi ng court, my ruling stands. And ang ruling ng court is for Ms. Cornejo and Mr. Simeon Raz who were there to already be committed,” Atty. Alma Mallonga said in an interview.
Mallonga is Navarro’s legal counsel.
“As far as Mr. Cedric Lee and Ferdinand Guerrero were concerned, they were ordered arrested and they will also be committed as soon as they are found,” she added.
The court also ordered the accused to pay Navarro P100,000 in civil indemnity, P100,000 as moral damages, and P100,000 as exemplary damages.
Last year, the Supreme Court dismissed the rape complaint and acts of lasciviousness filed by Cornejo against Navarro.
“Deniece Cornejo lured Vhong Navarro to her condo unit so that his co-accused attained their purpose of restraining Vhong Navarro and later on extorting money from Vhong before dropping the blotter,” the RTC said
