MANILA, Philippines – The Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday, May 2, convicted businessman Cedric Lee, model Deniece Cornejo, and two others of serious illegal detention for ransom in the case filed by actor-comedian Vhong Navarro. 

Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Simeon Palma Raz were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt and were sentenced by the court to reclusion perpetua. Their bail bond was canceled.

They can still file appeal the court decision.

ABS-CBN News reported that according to Navarro’s lawyer, Alma Mallonga, Cornejo, who was present during the promulgation, was immediately committed by the court. The court has also issued a warrant of arrest for Lee. 

In 2014, Navarro accused the camp of Lee of serious illegal detention, saying the group detained him in Cornejo’s Bonifacio Global City condominium unit on January 22, 2014, by threatening him and intimidating him with firearms. Cornejo had accused Navarro of raping her. 

While Navarro was detained, Lee allegedly physically hurt the actor and threatened to kill him if he did not pay them P2 million. Navarro agreed to pay half the amount for his release. Lee would later claim that the detention was his attempt at a “citizen’s arrest” given the alleged sexual assault on Cornejo.

Lee and Raz were arrested on April 26, 2014, in Eastern Samar. They were released on September 18, 2014, after the court allowed them to post a bail of P500,000 each.

In 2017, the Court of Appeals upheld the decision of RTC to grant bail to Lee, Raz, and Cornejo. 

In 2022, CA denied Lee’s motion to dismiss the case filed by Navarro. 

In 2023, the Supreme Court 3rd Division dismissed the rape and acts of lasciviousness charges filed against Navarro by Cornejo.

As of writing, Navarro has yet to release a statement regarding the court’s ruling for his serious illegal detention case against Lee. – Rappler.com