Deniece Cornejo. INQUIRER.net/Noy Morcoso III
Deniece Cornejo had no choice but to spend another night in jail after her camp failed to comply on Wednesday with just one more requirement set by the court before she could be released on bail.
Cornejo’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said they were unable to secure a clearance from Taguig Prosecutor Archimedes Manabat as the latter had to attend the regularly scheduled Wednesday hearing for the Maguidanao massacre case where he is the lead state prosecutor.
Since May 5, Cornejo has been detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group’s Anti-Transnational Crime Unit in Camp Crame after actor-TV host Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro filed charges of serious illegal detention against her, businessman Cedric Lee, Simeon Palma Raz Jr., Jed Fernandez and Ferdinand Guerrero, claiming the group mauled him in January at Cornejo’s condominium unit.
Cornejo, however, claimed that Navarro tried to rape her and that Lee and the others had come to her aid. She later charged the TV host with two counts of rape but the case was dismissed by the Department of Justice.
On Monday, Taguig Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes allowed Cornejo, Lee and Raz to post bail of P500,000 each after ruling there was not enough evidence against them. Lee and Raz were freed on bail the
following day.
Topacio and Cornejo’s grandfather, Rod Cornejo, said they hoped to comply with the last requirement by noon today.
Asked how his client felt about the delay, Topacio replied: “She’s fine with it. She understands [that there is a process to be followed].”
Sought for comment, Cornejo’s granduncle and family lawyer Axel Gonzales said the Cornejos did not feel disappointment over the delay in her release. “They’re used to it. She’s been [detained] for four months. What is one more day?”
Howard Calleja, lawyer for Lee and Raz, said that when his clients got out of jail on Tuesday, the first thing they did was to go home to their families.
At the same time, Calleja took offense at the comments he read on social media about the release of the two men. These included allegations that money changed hands while others said the pair’s release had caused them to lose faith in the justice system.
“I hope [that] before they say something, although we respect their opinion, I hope before they say something [that] their opinion is based on …evidence,” he said.
“What I’m saying is simple. Those who are saying that, have they read the decision? Have they attended at least one hearing?” he added. With Kristine Felisse Mangunay