Korte Suprema nilinis sa ‘rape’ case si Vhong Navarro

Labis na ikinatuwa ng TV host na si Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro ang pagbasura ng Supreme Court sa kasong rape at acts of lasciviousness na inihain ng modelong si Deniece Cornejo laban sa kanya.

“He is very happy about the decision of the Supreme Court,” pahayag ni Alma Mallonga, lead counsel ni Navarro.

Sa desisyon noong Pebrero 8, iginawad ng Supreme Court ang petisyon ni Navarro para sa review on certiorari, na kumukwestiyon sa desisyon ng Court of Appeals (CA) noong Hulyo at Setyembre na nagresulta sa paghahain ng kasong rape at acts of lasciviousness cases laban kay Navarro sa Taguig courts.

Sa paggawad sa petisyon, binaligtad ng Supreme Court ang hatol ng Court of Appeals.

Nagdesisyon din ito na “accordingly, the Court dismisses the following Informations against Ferdinand ‘Vhong’ H. Navarro for lack of probable cause: (a) Rape by Sexual Intercourse under paragraph 1, Article 266-A of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 8353, in NPS Docket No. XVI-INV-16E-00174 pending before Branch 69, Regional Trial Court, Taguig City; and (b) Acts of Lasciviousness under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code in NPS Docket No.XVI-INV-15J-00815 pending before Branch 116, Metropolitan Trial Court, Taguig City. So ordered.”

Sabi ni Mallonga, “We are happy with the grant of our petition. It’s very clear on the basis of the decision when it granted our petition that there was no basis actually because there was no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the Department of Justice in dismissing the complaints of Cornejo.”

Sinabi niya na pinag-aaralan nila ang desisyon ng Supreme Court para sa mga susunod nilang hakbang.

Sinabi ng abogadong si Mariglen Abraham-Garduque, na tumulong kay Navarro sa kanyang petition for bail, na ikinagagalak din niya ang petisyon.

“As the lawyer who helped Vhong in the petition for bail, I am very happy for this decision of Supreme Court dismissing the informations for rape and acts of lasciviousness filed against Vhong. I am very happy for Vhong also. At least now everything will be put into rest. His liberty shall be considered permanent and not temporary anymore,” aniya.

Inakusahan ni Cornejo si Navarro ng panggagahasa sa kanya sa kanyang condominium unit sa Taguig noong Jan. 17, 2014.

Nag-isyu ang Taguig RTC Branch 69 ng non-bailable warrant of arrest laban kay Navarro noong Sept. 19, 2022.

Naghain naman si Navarro ng petition for bail, na pinaboran ng korte sa pagtatakda ng P1 milyong piyansa at nakalaya ito mula sa Taguig City Jail Male Dormitory noong Dec. 6.