Court enters not guilty plea for Cedric, pal

MANILA, Philippines - A Taguig City court yesterday entered a not guilty plea for businessman Cedric Lee and Simeon “Zimmer” Raz after they refused to enter any plea on the serious illegal detention case filed against them by actor and television host Vhong Navarro.

Lee and Raz were arraigned before Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes of the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 271.

The accused and their lawyer, Howard Calleja, declined to talk to reporters.

Lee and Raz were escorted by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation back to the NBI detention facility in Manila shortly after their arraignment.

Earlier, Cortes suspended her order to transfer Lee and Raz to the Taguig City jail at Camp Bagong Diwa from the NBI detention facility pending the hearing on the two motions filed by Calleja on May 6.

Calleja had earlier asked the court to allow Lee and Raz to post bail and to remain under the NBI custody.

Alma Mallonga, counsel for Navarro, said her client was also directed by the court to attend the pre-trial hearing of the case.

Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense. The court, however, may allow the posting of bail in cases where the evidence of guilt is not strong.

Mallonga told reporters that Calleja had asked the court to defer the arraignment pending the resolution of their appeal.

Calleja later decided to withdraw the motion and allowed his clients to be arraigned.

“The proceedings are now at a sensitive stage. Everything is up to the court,” said Mallonga.

Although the court did not issue a gag order, the lawyers for both parties have agreed to be careful in making statements to the media.

The court barred the media from covering the hearing of the case.

Mallonga also submitted yesterday Navarro’s supplemental affidavit for the rape complaint filed against him by model Deniece Cornejo.