Philippine Scene #19 - Justice for Dancer-Actor/Comedian-It's Showtime Host Vhong Navarro

It was January 22nd when Philippines show-business (showbiz) personality Vhong Navarro (real first name: Ferdinand) , a multi-awarded host of It's Showtime (also a member of street-style dance group called Streetboys and a veteran comedian-actor and novelty singer), was involved in a hazy, unbelievable plot of incidence of assault/battery in a condominium unit at the upscale location in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila.

Navarro's manager Chito Roño was the one who revealed the serious incident that rocked the whole nation and even parts of the world where Filipinos are fond of the actor's progress in the entertainment world in the country.

The girl who cried 'rape' was a model/starlet, herself, identified to be Deniece Millet Cornejo, a bit player in ABS-CBN Channel 2 (via Dugong Buhay) and former contestant at the defunct noontime show, WoWowee.

Siding Deniece's allegation is group of men, led by a business man named Cedric Lee and several others who handbandaged Navarro and have beaten him, black and blue, especially on his face.

Lee and his cohorts never left Navarro as Cornejo filed a blotter accusing the actor/comedian-host of rape.It was filed at the police station in Parañaque, not in Taguig police where the incident happened.

Actions were automatically done and carefully executed by assigned personnel from National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP) and even Department of Justice (DOJ) in order to bring light to Navarro's case fast.

Observers opined that the turning point of solving a case fast here in the country started when popular showbiz personality, Vhong Navarro, was involved in this kind of conspiracy and extortion.

Reactions from different sectors of Philippine society and even online media, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook primarily took side on Navarro's account.

Netizens favored the testimony of Vhong Navarro and abhorred the statements of starlet/model Deniece Millet Cornejo and businessman Cebric Lee.

The chronology of events that happened during the beating of Vhong Navarro was exactly recorded from the video footage stored at the CCTV cameras of the building where the crime happened.

It revealed and intensified the testimony of the mauled actor, thereby, assuring him of justice because of the false testimonies uttered by Deniece Millet Cornejo and Cedric Lee.

The NBI investigators revealed and even re-enacted the scenes where Vhong was maltreated by Cedric Lee's group.

The CCTV footage clearly disproves the allegation of Ms. Cornejo that Navarro tried to rape her.

Because of the flooding of news, literally featuring the case of Vhong Navarro, I will share what the NBI had revealed in the news networks and tabloids.

Here's the blow-by-blow account of the video files revealed by the said investigation agency.
(They noted that the elevator's CCTV given time was 40 minutes late or so from the lobby's CCTV camera.)

Start of the scenes: January 22, 2014

• 10:38 p.m. — Vhong Navarro became visible entering the lobby of the condominium. He was wearing a bullcap, casual polo shirt and shorts.

  10:39 p.m. — The elevator's door opened and Vhong went out heading the second floor where Deniece Millet Cornejo's room is located. (Note: The elevator CCTV's time stamp is 9:59 p.m. because, as the NBI had indicated, it was 40 minutes late compared to the real time at the lobby's CCTV.).

  10:40 p.m. —Only a minute after, Deniece was seen going out and headed to the elevator then came out to the first floor and went out the building.

  10:41 p.m. — Cedric Lee entered the edifice, headed to the elevator up to the 2nd floor, knuckling his fingers. (Note: The elevator CCTV's time stamp is 10:03 p.m.)

  At this point, the NBI emphasized that Cornejo had already left Navarro inside her unit, which means Lee could not have witnessed Navarro on top of her in her room as the businessman has alleged in several interviews. "I think it's not possible yung sinasabi nilang attempt to rape Ms. Cornejo... Kasi po very glaring dito sa ating footage na there was no incident na si Deniece was inside that room," de Guzman said.

  10:43 p.m. — Two men, one in t-shirt and glasses, identified as Ferdinand Guerrero, later entered the condo and went up Deniece's unit.

  10:43 p.m. — Deniece was seen going back to the building, talking to a security guard, Bernice Lee (Cedric Lee's sister) and another man (who is yet to be identified). The security guard, Deniece Cornejo, Bernice Lee, and another man left the building again.

  10:48 p.m. — "Mike" entered the condo, as identified by Navarro. He rode the elevator to the second floor.

  10:56 p.m. — Bernice Lee re-entered the building but not seen riding the elevator. The NBI said she might have used the stairs instead when she went up the second floor.

  10:59 p.m. — Cedricand Bernice Lee, who were on the second floor, headed to the elevator and went down the first floor. They left the condo. (Note: The elevator CCTV's time stamp was 10:19 p.m.)

  11:01 p.m. — Cedric and Bernice went back to the condo. Deniece Cornejo was with them at this minute.

  11:02 p.m. — Cedric, Bernice, and Deniece rode the elevator and headed to the second floor. (Note: The elevator CCTV's time stamp was 10:22 p.m.)

  11:12 p.m. — A tied-up Vhong Navarro (hands at the back) was seen entering the elevator, accompanied by two men, who were both not seen in the elevator's earlier CCTV footage. (Note: The elevator CCTV's time stamp is 10:32 p.m.) One of the men was identified as bodybuilder Zimmer Rance. Others also followed them into the elevator: Cedric, Bernice, Deniece , Ferdinand Guerrero, the guy known only as "Mike," and another still-unidentified man.

  The NBI suspects that Zimmer Rance and the other man who was restraining Vhong Navarro were already in Deniece Cornejo's unit when the actor-host arrived. All in all, there are eight suspects in the case—a total of six men and two women.

  11:13 p.m. — Vhong Navarro and the eight suspects were seen walking at the lobby towards the door.

  11:14 p.m. — The CCTV at the condo's main gate showed the group leaving the Forbeswood premises.

  The specifics of the exact time of each event were broadcasted and printed via national television networks and national newspapers.

  
  The flurry of bizarre events that happened that night surprised the whole nation and even the world, where Filipino expats are located.

  As one of my colleagues said," The news of Vhong Navarro being mauled and alleged to rape a starlet/model rocked the country."

  It created a hysteria of public trial where most of the nation's populace believe that Vhong Navarro is telling the truth, according to his initial account, jiving with the actions seen on the CCTV footages.
  

  Even the revelation attested the testimony of Navarro, still, the group of Cornejo, Lee, et al insisted that they're the one's who were the aggrieved party.
  

  In this time of modern gadgetry, such act of violence will never be hidden in the eyes of the public.
  

  I know, it's bizarre and scary witnessing, like street killing, rape and other crimes being committed daily but we will now be careful to trust someone, even as beautiful like the woman (accomplice) who made Vhong's life in danger.
  

  (Sources, part and parcel, particularly the timeline of CCTV footage came from the ANC News channel of ABS-CBN Channel 2, GMA 7 and online national newspapers.)
  

  
  

  
  

Andrea Santos said:

I don't know Deniece or Vhong personally and neither do i care, but i cant help but comment on a few things:
1. I've seen the surveillance videos from CCTV and you can tell who's lying based on the series of events.
2. If you were truly raped, you dont just say "pinatawad ko siya or give him second chance" whatsoever. That's not how someone who felt sincerely "harassed" should be feeling.
3. Obvious set-up, sorry kayo. It was not properly executed, and this is such an epic fail for you guys who planned it out.
I hope for a fair trial but since nasa 'pinas kayo then good luck.

Stanford John opined:

Actually, as foreigner I don't know that bitch, I only know those actors and actress, they are the one that put the Flag of Philippines up, not that useless bitch, she only work for her hunger, but not as contributing factor to the economic development in the nation, as Vhong does.

One man braved to make a Facebook Page, making the case of Vhong Navarro as his advocacy.

Justice for VHONG NAVARRO(Actor-Comedian-Streetboys/Host of 'It's Showtime' is the official site to LIKE and SUPPORT since the mayhem which happened to the actor.

The creator posts and updates the page in order for the social media users to see and read the progress of this case.

It's not a one-sided site on FB but a non-partisan page that will reveal the truth until the justice is served to the victim.