A society of laws

The second rape case filed by Deniece Cornejo against Vhong Navarro has been junked by the Taguig City Prosecutor's Office. Cornejo accused Navarro of raping her last January 17. The case she filed where she claims to have been raped last January 22 was earlier dismissed due to being too incredible to believe, based on available CCTV footage that indicated a sequence of events which belied Cornejo and Cedric Lee's claims. In the January 17 claim of rape, the prosecutor also found unbelievable Cornejo's claims, also because of the January 22 alleged incident. Why would she invite back to her condo the same man she is accusing of an earlier rape? Truly incredible. Remember the saying that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?

What also seemed to weaken Cornejo's case was that her call for help to Cedric Lee on the night in question, showed her supposed knights in shining armor on CCTV smiling while on the way up to her unit. That is not the disposition of a person rushing to help a friend, especially from rape. Cedric Lee indeed does a lot of smiling. Whether giving interviews or being arrested, he flashes that putrid smile of his. In this case, that smile actually helped Vhong Navarro. Doesn't that feel good?

So what is next for this band of thugs? It is obvious all their statements, all their stories, all their accusations have been thrown out by the courts. The only cards they have left are the rape case filed by Roxanne Cabanero who many believe is working with Cedric Lee. But her story is likewise full of holes, not to mention herself being sued for maligning an event. There is another rape case filed against Navarro but nobody seems to worry about that one.

If only Deniece Cornejo turned state witness, then her situation would be much better by now. But it is obvious that she is more afraid of Cedric Lee than the law and punishment. But that stranglehold Lee has on his crew must be weakening by now, as it becomes clear they will be tried for serious illegal detention, which has grave consequences. The only ones laughing are those who were able to leave the country. Hopefully fate has something in store for them as well.

We seem to be living in a society where committing gratuitous acts of violence are more frequent, where the perpetrators do not seem perturbed by the law. Such as the hazing death of Guillo Cesar Servando. In both incidents, we have groups who are not afraid of existing laws, because they feel they have the numbers and the power over it. Cedric Lee believes his money will keep him untouchable, while the Tau Gamma Phi fraternity relies on its alumni to bail them out of anything. This has to stop. The law must be enforced, and those who violate it, punished. These two cases hopefully will serve to set the tone.

We must live in a society of laws.