Taguig court grants Vhong Navarro’s bail plea
A court in Taguig City has granted the petition for bail of TV host and comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro, who is facing rape charges filed by model Deniece Cornejo.
Judge Loralie Cruz Dataman of the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 69 set Navarro’s bail to P1 million. In an order dated December 5, 2022, Judge Dataman cited the credibility of the complainant as “the single most important issue in the prosecution of rape cases” and that the evidence presented by the prosecution in the bail hearings are too weak to warrant Navarro’s continued detention pending the trial of his case.
The judge cited notable inconsistencies in Cornejo’s affidavits and said these could not be “simply brushed aside.”
“Viewed in light of all the foregoing, and taking the evidence presented in the bail hearings as a whole, this Court is not convinced at this point, that there exists a presumption great leading to the inference of the accused’s guilt,” Judge Datahan said.
The order also pointed out that while Cornejo claimed she was drugged, she failed to provide proof and even admitted that she did not see Navarro put something in her drink.
Datahan said Cornejo’s actions after the alleged rape, particularly the text messages she sent Navarro and the “preening [of] herself and giggling,” were inconsistent with the claim of trauma by someone who underwent a painful ordeal.
Taguig prosecutors filed a case against Navarro in September. Navarro had been detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for two months, before he was transferred to the Taguig City Jail, where he stayed for over two weeks.
Model-host Kat Alano posted a cryptic tweet that may have been referencing the latest development in Navarro’s case. In her tweet, Alano wrote” I feel sick. This is so wrong. It’s all wrong. Bahala na kayo Pilipinas. You deserve what you asked for. Sana hindi mangyari sa inyo to. It’s a nightmare that keeps going.” She ends the tweet with “Evil wins.” In 2020, Alano opened up on being raped by a celebrity whose name “rhymes with wrong,” but refused to categorically name her alleged attacker.
Many netizens expressed their indignation over the news that Navarro was granted bail, with some saying others accused of rape could not post bail at all, while a few sought to remind the public that Navarro has had four cases of rape filed against him.
Others, however, came to Navarro’s defense. Fans and non-fans alike remain unconvinced of Navarro’s guilt because of inconsistencies in Cornejo’s testimony. A few also wondered why Alano has not filed a case against Navarro, instead of just posting thinly-veiled messages about the actor’s alleged wrongdoings.
