Cedric, co-accused nabbed in Samar

MANILA, Philippines - Authorities yesterday arrested businessman Cedric Lee and mixed martial artist Simeon “Zimmer” Raz, both accused of beating up television host, comedian and actor Vhong Navarro.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima confirmed the arrest, saying Lee and Raz were “cornered” by police operatives and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Oras town in Eastern Samar.

NBI assistant regional director Vicente de Guzman said Lee and Raz were earlier tracked down at a resort in Dolores town, but they managed to escape.

“They escaped by climbing over a wall. Operatives gave chase and tracked them down in Oras until (yesterday) morning,” he said.

The coastal town of Dolores is about 15 kilometers away from Oras.

De Guzman said the two were forced to surrender after they were cornered by lawmen.

“If they had resisted arrest, it would mean they wanted to commit suicide,” De Guzman said in describing how the lawmen forced the two fugitives to give up.

In radio interviews, De Lima revealed the NBI teams had been tracking Lee and Raz from Quezon province.

The two went to the Bicol region and traveled to Sorsogon before going to Eastern Samar where they were eventually arrested.

She said Lee and Raz realized they were being followed and managed to elude the pursuing lawmen.

De Lima said the NBI team and local police learned where the two had sought refuge and cornered them.

“They felt that they had no choice, they voluntarily surrendered,” she added.

Lee and Raz are among the seven accused in beating up Navarro on Jan. 22 inside the condominium unit of model Deniece Cornejo, who remains at large.

Lee and Raz were arrested for grave coercion and serious illegal detention, a non-bailable offense.

Arrest warrants for the grave coercion charges were issued last week by the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court against Lee, his sister Bernice, Cornejo, Raz, Jed Fernandez, Jose Paolo Calma and Ferdinand Guerrero.

Bernice, Cornejo and Fernandez have posted P12,000 bail each for the grave coercion charge.

Navarro charged the group, including Lee’s sister Bernice, with grave coercion, serious physical injuries and serious illegal detention.

He accused the group of beating him up and extorting money.

Lee’s group denied his accusation, saying it was Navarro who attempted to rape Cornejo.

Cornejo filed rape charges against Navarro but the Department of Justice junked the case for lack of evidence.

Navarro, through his lawyer Alma Mallonga, hailed the NBI and the police for arresting Lee and Raz.

“We are grateful to the Department of Justice and the NBI and congratulate them for doing their tasks well in effecting the arrests of the accused. We are happy that the cases can now proceed. We continue to have faith in the process,” Mallonga said.

“Everyone has a stake in ensuring that the cases now go to trial and a just judgment rendered by the courts,” she added.

De Lima tasked the arresting lawmen to bring Lee and Raz to Manila and place them under custody of the NBI.

“They should first be brought to the NBI in Manila because it is a weekend and we could not return the warrants that were issued by the regional trial court in Taguig City. We would only be able to return the warrants on Monday. We would wait for the commitment order from the court, it will decide where they would be detained pending the arraignment and the trial,” De Lima said.  – With Evelyn Macairan, Mike Frialde