RECLUSION PERPETUA SENTENCED TO CEDRIC LEE, DENIECE CORNEJO, AND OTHERS

Justice prevail for Vhong Navarro after 10 long years (Photo courtesy of Inquirer)

Actor-TV host Vhong Navarro expressed his thankful message for all the people who helped and supported him on his journey after the convicted model Deniece Cornejo and businessman Cedric Lee and others were found guilty on the Taguig Regional Trial Court.

Navarro filed a serious illegal detention for their involvement in the 2014 case of extortion and assault, Vhong was mauled and threatened to kill by Lee’s group, and demanded a P2 million in exchange for Navarro’s release. 

May 2 on Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 153, the verdict was read against Cedric, Deniece and others “guilty beyond reasonable doubt”. The court sentenced reclusion perpetua which is life imprisonment, and to pay Navarro P100,000 in civil indemnity, P100,000 on moral damages, and P100,000 on exemplary damages; and cancelled the bail bond.

“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,” the court’s decision read.

“The acts of Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee, Zimmer Raz and Ferdinand Guerrero, when taken together, reveal that they acted in concert with one another and that their acts emanated from the same purpose or common design showing unity in its execution,” it added.

Deniece and Simeon Raz were promptly detained by the court, and was present at the promulgation of judgement, and issued an arrest warrant for Lee and Guerrero. Though Navarro did not attend at the court, Attorney Alma Mallonga, Vhong’s lawyer said that the actor welcomed the court’s decision.

On the noontime show “It’s Showtime”, Vhong Navarro become emotional as he expressed his message for all the individuals who helped him get the justice he’s been praying for a long time. 

Source: ABS-CBN News

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