Judge in Vhong rape case junks motion to inhibit

Navarro surrendered to the NBI for the bailable case but was surprised when another arrest warrant was issued against him for rape. (File photo: National Bureau of Investigation/Facebook)

MANILA – The Taguig regional trial court (RTC) hearing the rape case against celebrity Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro has turned down a motion filed by Deniece Cornejo for the magistrate to inhibit from the case.

In its order, the court (RTC Br.69) Judge Loralie Cruz Datahan said it is denying for lack of merit the motion for reconsideration with motion to inhibit adding that the motions filed by the complainant’s counsels “deserves scant consideration” for failing to secure the conformity of the public prosecutor handling the case.

“At the outset, a perusal of the instant motion readily reveals the absence of any conformity from the Office of the City Prosecutor of Taguig City (OCP-Taguig),” the court said.

“Time and again, the Supreme Court has emphasized that criminal actions shall be prosecuted under the direction and control of the prosecutor” it added.
Last Dec. 5, the court granted Navarro’s petition for bail for PHP 1 million, a month after it ordered the transfer of the actor/television host to the Taguig City Jail from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

In September, an arrest warrant against the actor was issued on non-bailable rape charges filed by model Deniece Cornejo.

Cornejo sued Navarro for acts of lasciviousness and rape, which allegedly happened separately in January 2014.

Earlier, Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 Judge Angela Francesca Din found probable cause that led to the indictment of Navarro for acts of lasciviousness case and set a bail of PHP36,000.

Navarro surrendered to the NBI for the bailable case but was surprised when another arrest warrant was issued against him for rape.

The Court of Appeals ordered the filing of rape and acts of lasciviousness cases after Cornejo’s complaints were dismissed by the Taguig City prosecutor’s office and the Department of Justice.