The rape case filed against TV host Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro has been set for raffle to a court in Taguig.
On Sept. 5, the Office of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Taguig issued a notice of raffle for Navarro’s rape case.
The notice of raffle, noted by Executive Judge Antonio Olivete, will be held on Sept. 8 at the Taguig RTC Branch 267 to select which court will handle the case.
Last Aug. 31, the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office filed a case of rape against Navarro before the Taguig RTC.
The prosecutor’s office filed the information stating that on Jan. 17, 2014, Navarro “through force, threat and intimidation, and by purposely intoxicating the victim, did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously have carnal knowledge with one Deniece Millinete Cornejo” and raped her.
The notice was a reversal of Olivete’s order on Sept. 1 that deferred the raffling of Navarro’s rape case to a Taguig court pending the resolution of Navarro’s filings with the Court of Appeals.
Navarro filed a motion of reconsideration and urgent motion for the issuance of a status quo ante order before the Court of Appeals.
Last July 21, the Court of Appeals sided with Cornejo and ordered the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office “to file Informations against Ferdinand ‘Vhong’ H. Navarro for: (1) Rape by Sexual Intercourse under Article 266-A (1) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 8353; and (2) Acts of Lasciviousness under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code.”
It also overturned the Department of Justice (DOJ) resolutions issued on April 30, 2018 and July 14, 2020, which dismissed the complaints of rape against Navarro.
“It was erroneous for the DOJ to deny Cornejo’s petition for review on the ground that her statements in the complaint-affidavits are inconsistent and incredible. In this regard, it bears to stress that the determination of probable cause does not depend on the validity or merits of a party’s accusation or defense or on the admissibility or veracity of testimonies presented,” the appeals court said.
The Court of Appeals ruled that “issues of credibility should be adjudged during the trial proper. It goes without saying that it is the trial court that has the unique power and position to observe the witnesses’ deportment, manner of testifying, emphasis, gesture, and inflection of the voice, all of which are potent aids in ascertaining the witness’ credibility.”
Navarro reiterated that he did not rape Cornejo.
“Di ba paulit-ulit kong sinasabi, ang pagkakasala ko, ang kasalanan ko dito ay niloko ko yung girlfriend ko noon at ito na yung wife ko ngayon (I always said that my sin here is I cheated on my girlfriend then who is now my wife),” Navarro earlier told ABS-CBN News.
He added, “Nilahad ko yung istorya ko at lahat ng katotohanan. So lahat ng binibintang nila sa akin, hindi totoo yun. At ako ay nagsasabi ng totoo at alam ng Panginoon yun na nagsasabi ako ng totoo (I told the my story and all the truth. So all their accusations are not true. I am telling the truth and God knows that I am telling the truth).”