Cedric, Deniece ordered held without bail

MANILA, Philippines - A string of charges – including the non-bailable offense of serious illegal detention – was filed yesterday with the Department of Justice (DOJ) against businessman Cedric Lee, model Deniece Cornejo and six others for beating actor-television host Vhong Navarro inside a condominium unit in Taguig City last week.

The other respondents in the criminal complaints filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) were Lee’s sister Bernice, a certain Ferdinand Guerrero and Zimmer Rance, an alias Mike and two unidentified men.

Aside from serious physical detention, charges of serious physical injuries, grave threats, grave coercion, unlawful arrest and “threatening to publish and offer to prevent such publication for compensation” were leveled against Lee and the others.

The NBI-National Capital Region division said it based its complaint on sworn statements of Navarro, his driver Romel de la Cruz, his friends, security guards in the condominium and investigating policeman, and CCTV footage from the condominium.

Investigators had invited Lee and Cornejo to present their side, but the two did not appear before the bureau. By failing to show up at the NBI, the two could be considered to have waived their right to present their side. The complaint was filed before the DOJ at around 4:30 p.m. and was docketed for preliminary investigation.

Investigators had found Navarro’s statement consistent with video recordings from CCTV cameras submitted by security officers of Forbeswood Heights (Tower 2) where the incident took place.

A segment of the CCTV recording showed Navarro – in bull cap – leaving the building with his hands tied behind his back, along with eight people including Lee and Cornejo at around 11 p.m. last Jan. 22.

Navarro claimed the respondents beat him up and tried to extort up to P2 million from him while accusing him of attempting to rape Cornejo. Navarro was represented by lawyer Dennis Manalo.

A reliable source said CCTV recordings belied Lee’s claims that he chanced upon Navarro trying to rape Cornejo.

Video footage showed Navarro appearing at the lobby of the condominium at 10:38 p.m. on Jan. 22. He took an elevator to the second floor where Cornejo’s unit is located.

About a minute later, Cornejo was seen taking the elevator to the ground floor and walking out of the condominium. She was wearing blouse, blazer, a mini skirt, and a pair of flip-flops.

While Cornejo was still out of the building, Lee entered the building. Cornejo and Lee’s sister Bernice arrived one after the other or just minutes apart. A group of men – believed to be Lee’s friends – also entered the building moments later.

At 10:59 p.m., Lee and Bernice left Forbeswood and returned at 11:01 p.m., based on the CCTV time stamp. “So where is the alleged rape try? She was apparently guiding Navarro to her unit,” the source said, referring to Cornejo.

In a radio interview, however, Lee said lawyers and friends of Navarro were twisting facts in the media to put him in a bad light. He said Navarro himself could not have released such statements considering his condition. – With Marvin Sy, Mike Frialde, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Charmie Joy Pagulong