SC junks rape, acts of lasciviousness charges vs Vhong Navarro

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) 3rd Division dismissed the rape and acts of lasciviousness charges filed against actor Vhong Navarro by model Deniece Cornejo.

In a ruling issued on February 8 but made public on Monday, March 13, the SC reversed and set aside the July 2022 decision and September 2022 resolution of the Court of Appeals (CA) directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute Navarro for the charges.

The CA had earlier reversed the DOJ’s resolutions dismissing Cornejo’s 2014 complaint against Navarro for inconsistencies in her affidavits.       

According to the SC, the CA gravely erred in ordering the DOJ to revive the rape case despite Cornejo’s inconsistencies.

“Indeed, no amount of skillful or artful deportment, manner of speaking, or portrayal in a subsequent court proceeding could supplant Cornejo’s manifestly inconsistent and highly deficient, doubtful, and unclear accounts of her supposed harrowing experience in the hands of Navarro,” the SC said. 

Navarro was arrested last September, and in December was allowed to post bail of P1 million. He returned to his hosting stint on It’s Showtime in January.

In January 2014, Cornejo filed a case against the actor for alleged sexual assault on the night of a controversial incident which left Navarro severely injured.

According to Navarro, he was attacked and was a victim of extortion by Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee, and their other companions. Meanwhile, Cornejo’s camp said Navarro sustained his injuries after Lee and company caught him attempting to rape Cornejo. – Rappler.com