By Benjamin Pulta | Philippine News Agency
The Taguig regional trial court (RTC) on Thursday sentenced to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment businessman Cedric Lee, Deniece Millinette Cornejo and two others for the illegal detention of television host Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro 10 years ago.
In a 94-page decision, Judge Mariam Bien of the Taguig RTC Branch 153 found Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero and Simeon Raz of “serious illegal detention for ransom” under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.
The court also ordered the accused to pay Navarro PHP300,000 in civil indemnity and damages.
“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 disclosing a common understanding between them relative to its commission,” it said.
The case arose from the detention and mauling of Navarro by Lee’s group inside the then 22-year-old Cornejo’s unit at Forbeswood Heights Condominium.
Court records showed that the group forced Navarro to make a video confessing to rape and demanded P1 million to compensate Cornejo before bringing him to a police precinct.
The group promised to have the police blotter erased once Navarro deposits the sum to a bank account maintained by Cornejo.
The rape case and acts of lasciviousness filed against Navarro were dismissed by the Supreme Court in March 2023.
Raz and Cornejo, who attended the promulgation, were immediately committed by the court, while Lee and Guerrero were ordered to be arrested.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) information chief and spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the PNP is ready to find and serve the warrant of arrest (WOA) on the two accused.
“The PNP and other law enforcement agencies will initiate appropriate police action to account and serve the said WOA against Lee and Guerrero,” Fajardo told a press conference at Camp Crame.
“I want to take this opportunity also I am sure nakarating sa kaalaman nila na nag-issue ng WOA ang korte, so it will be in their best interest na mag voluntary surrender na lang sila doon sa pinakamalapit na istasyon sa kanila,” she said. (With a report from Lloyd Caliwan)
