Cedric, Zimmer safe with NBI, exec says

MANILA, Philippines - Businessman Cedric Lee and mixed martial artist Zimmer Raz are safe in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) while they are on trial for beating up comedian Vhong Navarro last January, an official said yesterday.

NBI-National Capital Region director Elfren Meneses said Lee and Raz will remain in the detention facility at the bureau’s headquarters in Manila.

Lee and Raz had asked the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 271, which is hearing the non-bailable case of serious illegal detention against them, to allow their continued detention at the NBI instead of ordering their transfer to the city jail, where their safety allegedly could be at risk.

“Our detention facility has a very high level of security for high-profile detainees. For sure, they’re safe here,” he told reporters. 

Pending its ruling on the motion, the court suspended the implementation of its commitment order, which directed the NBI to transfer the two to the city jail.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said yesterday government prosecutors will oppose any bid from Deniece Cornejo, another accused in the case, to allow her to post bail.

De Lima said it was Cornejo’s “prerogative” to convince the RTC to allow her to post bail.

“I am sure the panel (of prosecutors) will oppose that (bail petition) because they believe the case is strong,” she said in an interview.

De Lima said she understands why Cornejo chose to surrender last May 6 to the Philippine National Police and not to the NBI, which has also been pursuing her and the other suspects in the attack.

 â€œI think she did not surrender to the NBI because it was the NBI that conducted the investigation and also filed the charges against them,” she added. 

Two other accused in the serious illegal detention case, Jed Fernandez and Ferdinand Guerrero, remain at large.