A Taguig court has issued a warrant of arrest against TV host and comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro for acts of lasciviousness related to a complaint filed by model Deniece Cornejo.
The Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 116 issued the warrant of arrest against Navarro. Bail is set at P36,000.
Navarro is facing complaints of rape and acts of lasciviousness that were filed by the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.
Last Aug. 31, the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office filed a case of rape against Navarro before the Taguig RTC.
The cases of rape and acts of lasciviousness were raffled on Sept. 8 to determine which courts would handle them. The rape case was assigned to the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 69.
In the rape case, 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.”
The filing of the cases by the Taguig prosecutor’s office was ordered by the Court of Appeals last July.
The CA sided with Cornejo and directed the Taguig prosecutors to file the cases against Navarro.
In the decision, the CA ordered the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office “to file the Information 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.”
In the decision, the CA stated that “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,” the CA ruled.
The CA said 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 previously said that he did not rape Cornejo.