Vhong Navarro denied to continue being detained by NBI

MANILA, Philippines — The Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) has denied a motion by host-actor Vhong Navarro to continue being detained by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In a message sent to Philstar.com, lawyer Atty. Howard Calleja sent a copy of the Taguig RTC's ruling which gave the decicion for lack of merit, as signed by presiding judge Loralie Cruz Datahan.

"We already got an order from RTC Taguig denying [Navarro's] continued stay in NBI so we will push [as soon as possible] for the transfer [of Navarro] to Taguig City Jail," said Calleja.

Navarro had initially surrendered to the NBI following an arrest warrant for rape in connection to complaints filed by model Deniece Cornejo.

#AsItHappens: The camp of model Deniece Cornejo, now led by lawyer Howard Calleja, says they received an order from Taguig RTC denying the continued stay of TV host Vhong Navarro in the NBI.

More here: https://t.co/iOIkhF0Ydh pic.twitter.com/z0c1N6ELZ4

— Philstar.com (@PhilstarNews) September 30, 2022

Because the arrest warrant was issued by the Taguig RTC, Cornejo's camp has argued that Navarro should be detained at the Taguig City Jail.

Vhong's wife Tanya Bautista-Navarro worried for the safety of her husband should he be moved from NBI Manila to Taguig City, claiming his life would be at risk and that she had received threats via text.

RELATED: Appeals court denies Vhong Navarro bid to stop prosecution

However, the Taguig RTC ruled that such text messages "could not be given credence," and that the Taguig City Jail "is mandated to exercise great care so that the human rights of the prisoners are respected and protected."

Calleja will be taking over Atty. Ferdinand Topacio as lead counsel for the Cornejo camp having been approached to do so last Wednesday, September 28.

The lawyer was previously the initial counsel for Cornejo and her colleague Cedric Lee in 2014, successfully getting them liberty and bail in their illegal detention case as the evidence presented by the prosecution was weak.for making statements that are sub judice in nature

In connection to Bautista-Navarro's comments, Topacio previously said they would be preparing contempt charges against her and Navarro's lawyer Atty. Alma Mallonga for "making statements that are sub judice in nature."

 "We will not sit idly by while some people again make a mockery of justice by having another trial by publicity," Topacio said then.

RELATED: LIST: Women accusing Vhong Navarro of sexual assault