DOJ questions bail for Cedric, Deniece, De Lima seeks judge’s inhibition

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima questioned yesterday the decision of a Taguig judge who granted temporary liberty to three accused in the non-bailable serious illegal detention case stemming from an attack on comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro last January.

“We were shocked by the decision. What I know is that we have strong and solid evidence against them,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) chief told reporters in an interview.

De Lima stressed that their three-woman team of prosecutors have been very competent in handling the case against businessman Cedric Lee, model Deniece Cornejo and mixed martial artist Zimmer Raz alongside the private prosecutors. 

“We don’t just file cases in court without evidence. Once our (prosecutors) filed the case, it means they are convinced that there was probable cause in the complaint. I also believed that there was probable cause in this serious illegal detention case,” she pointed out in explaining why the development came as a surprise. 

Because of this, De Lima said their prosecutors immediately appealed the ruling of the trial court.

She said the prosecution team also sought the inhibition of Regional Trial Court Branch 271 Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes from the case. 

“The panel said they have lost faith and confidence in the ability of the judge to objectively resolve that matter. They believed that the bail grant was very wrong and that it was already predetermined or predisposed on the part of the judge,” the DOJ chief said. 

Navarro’s lawyer, Alma Mallonga, said yesterday she filed a motion for reconsideration and a motion to inhibit Cortes. She said she tried to have both motions heard yesterday, but Cortes said there was no basis for her to defer the release of the accused and set the motions for hearing on Friday.

Mallonga said their motion to inhibit Cortes is anchored on “compelling” grounds such as her ruling being based on “the affidavits the accused had executed when they had not testified in court. Certain evidence that we have presented have not been appreciated by the court.”

No flights abroad

De Lima also stressed that the three accused could not just leave the country after posting bail of P500,000 each, as approved by the RTC. 

“Under the rules of court and as one of the conditions for the grant of bail, an accused cannot just leave the jurisdiction of the Philippines. They would have to secure permission from the court if they want to leave for a valid reason,” she explained.

De Lima added that there is a standing immigration lookout bulletin order against the three, which would suffice to stop their possible flight without court approval.   

Lee and Raz posted bail yesterday morning while Cornejo posted hers in the afternoon. The two men walked out of the male dormitory of the Taguig City Jail while Cornejo remains detained at the office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Camp Crame after failing to secure her certificate of detention, which is needed to process her release papers.

Cornejo said she learned a lot while in jail for the last four months.

 “I believe everything has a purpose,” Cornejo said. “It’s not the judge or the evidence that saves, but it is my faith.”

Cornejo surrendered to the police authorities last May 5 after the Taguig City court issued a warrant of arrest against her and Lee’s group for beating up Navarro, whom she accused of raping her inside a condominium unit in January.

The court has dismissed the rape case against Navarro, who filed counter charges of illegal detention and physical injuries against Cornejo’s group.

Cornejo said she feels like she is on cloud nine and plans to go directly to church once she is free on bail. She added that she has no more plans of going back to show business. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe