Suspect in Vhong Navarro’s mauling wants to turn state witness – De Lima

By: 11 years ago

Photo by Tetch Torres/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—One of the accused in the alleged mauling of television host and actor Vhong Navarro wants to turn state witness, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said on Monday.

De Lima said one of the accused “is now talking to our witness protection program.”

“This accused will be narrating… the entire incident, beginning with the plan made by the group of Cedric Lee,” she added.

The justice secretary also quoted the suspect as calling the mauling incident “Oplan bugbog.”

The Taguig Regional Trial Court on Monday has issued the arrest warrants against businessman Cedric Lee, model Deniece Cornejo, Jed Fernandez, Simeon Raz and Ferdinand Guerrero, for the serious illegal detention case filed by Navarro. Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense.

However, the Southern Police District, which received the warrants on Monday noon, could not explain why the warrants did not include the other respondents, Cedric Lee’s sister Bernice and Jose Paolo Gregorio Calma.

De Lima did not name the would-be state witness.

Meanwhile, the Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court issued an arrest warrant against the suspects for a separate grave coercion case on April 16. Of the accused, only Cornejo has posted bail.