Cedric Lee surrenders to NBI, denies serious illegal detention of Vhong Navarro took place
Businessman Cedric Lee has voluntarily surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after a Taguig court found him, model Deniece Cornejo, and two others guilty of serious illegal detention of actor Vhong Navarro. He, however, maintained that it never took place.
GMA News reported that Lee voluntarily went to authorities, even informing them of his planned surrender. NBI officers fetched him in Mandaluyong.
His mugshot and fingerprints were taken promptly. Where he would spend his sentence is yet to be determined.
According to ABS-CBN News, Lee said they will appeal and exhaust all legal remedies.
“Walang illegal detention na nangyari. Kung titingnan n'yo lahat ng elements ng crime, wala,” Lee is quoted as saying. “So we never detained him for more than a day. We never inflicted serious injuries.”
Cornejo, meanwhile, is at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong, while Simeon Raz is at New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa.
Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 153 found Lee, model Deniece Cornejo, and their cohorts Simeon Raz and Ferdinand Guerrero guilty of serious illegal detention. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua.
The court also ordered them to pay Navarro P100,000 in civil indemnity, P100,000 in moral damages, and P100,000 in exemplary damages, according to GMA News. These also have an interest rate of 6% per annum from the finality of the judgment until fully paid.
In January 2014, Cornejo accused Navarro of raping her in her condo unit. She filed rape and acts of lasciviousness complaints against him.
This prompted Lee’s group to beat him up.
Navarro then filed a serious illegal detention case against them.
In 2018 and 2020, the Department of Justice affirmed the dismissal of Cornejo’s complaints against Navarro and in July 2022, the Court of Appeals (CA) reversed the dismissal.
Navarro surrendered to the NBI in September of that year and in November, was transferred to Taguig City Jail.
In December, Navarro posted a P1 million bail and in January 2023, was able to return to his hosting duties at It’s Showtime.
In February, the Supreme Court dismissed the rape and acts of lasciviousness cases against Navarro due to lack of probable cause, saying the CA “gravely erred” in its decision.