NBI to investigate TV host’s mauling

ACTOR-TV host Vhong Navarro (right) signs the entry in the police blotter in which Deniece Milinette Cornejo accuses him of rape on Jan. 22, right after he was mauled by a group of men. The report was filed in the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management office of the Southern Police District in Taguig City, close to Forbeswood Heights condominium where the supposed rape attempt occurred in Cornejo’s unit. SPD photo

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday announced that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would conduct an “impartial and speedy” probe of the Jan. 22 mauling of comedian and TV host Vhong Navarro whose lawyers were preparing to file criminal charges against those who attacked him in a condominium at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

Navarro’s lawyer Dennis Manalo told reporters before a meeting with De Lima that among the charges they were considering filing were serious physical injuries, grave threats, deprivation of liberty and extortion.

Manalo said they would file the charges “as soon as possible” against eight to 10 people that included Deniece Milinette Cornejo, a model; businessman Cedric Lee; Lee’s sister Bernice; a certain Mike and four to five John Does.

The NBI started its probe of the incident after Navarro called up bureau officials a day after the mauling, “reported the commission of the crime and requested for assistance,” his lawyer added.

In a television interview on Sunday, the comedian-TV host said that he was beaten up by a group led by Lee inside Cornejo’s condominium. He claimed that he was forced into recording an admission that he tried to rape the model and that Lee, her boyfriend, tried to extort as much as P2 million from him for the “damage” he did to Cornejo.

Meanwhile, Cornejo, who was subpoenaed by the bureau to appear at its National Capital Region office Monday was a no-show. She had earlier assured the NBI that she would go there with Lee.

The NBI has not yet subpoenaed Lee because it does not have his address, NCR Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman said, adding that they had intended to do so if he had accompanied Cornejo to the bureau Monday.

De Guzman told reporters that both may “lose the chance to air their side” as the bureau was about to complete its own probe and might file the corresponding cases by Wednesday or Thursday.

Manalo and Navarro’s manager, movie director Chito Roño, had sought a meeting with De Lima to “air their concerns and appeal for a fair and impartial investigation into this case.”

According to Manalo, they were still drafting the complaint against Lee, et al. and noted that among the allegations raised by his client were the “commission of serious injuries, the commission of threats to his life as well as to his family, extortion of money up to the amount of P2 million and deprivation of his liberty because he was hogtied and his mouth was gagged.”

“They wanted assurance that the investigation would be impartial and speedy,” De Lima later told reporters after her meeting with both men.

She explained that the incident was “worth investigating because we are dealing with two versions” as she cited the need “to give justice to the real victim.”

At the same time, De Lima said she would also ask the NBI to look into lapses committed by the police in their handling of the incident.

These included whether the scene of the incident was preserved and why the police blotter statement against Navarro was made at the Southern Police District instead of the Taguig police which should have jurisdiction over the case.

Meanwhile, the NBI has also spoken to the security guard detailed at the main gate of the Forbeswood Height Condominium who was on duty when Navarro entered and left the building.

The NBI said it had been given a copy of the CCTV footage showing the comedian inside the condominium.

According to a bureau source, Navarro’s statement that he was escorted out of the condominium by the group of men who mauled him was “consistent” with what they saw in the video recording.

In the video, Navarro, who was wearing a ball cap, was shown walking into the elevator with the group.  He had his hands behind his back.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Philippine National Police yesterday chided Navarro for his failure to file a complaint against the group of men who allegedly mauled him.

Senior Supt. Roberto Fajardo, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region, said it was “unfair” that the police were now being blamed for what happened to the

comedian.

“They have been granting interviews and talking about this incident in the media. But none of them have filed a complaint,” he told reporters at Camp Crame.

“We need a complainant. Even if we file a case, it will not prosper in court without a complainant. We are very willing to assist them,” Fajardo said. With Marlon Ramos