A Taguig court has granted bail to detained “It’s Showtime” host and comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro who is accused of raping model Deniece Cornejo.
In a decision dated Dec. 5 but released on Dec. 6, Judge Loralie Datahan of the Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 69 approved Navarro’s bail petition and set his bail at P1 million.
“Wherefore, premises considered, the petition for bail is hereby granted. The bail of the accused for his provisional liberty is hereby fixed at One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00),” according to the court’s decision.
The judge ruled, “Viewed in light of all the foregoing, and taking the evidence presented in the bail hearings as a whole, this Court is not convinced at this point, that there exists a presumption great leading to the inference of the accused’s guilt.”
She added, “It must be emphasized, however, that a grant of bail does not prevent the Court, as trier of facts, from making a final assessment of the evidence after full trial on the merits.”
Lawyer Mariglen Abraham-Garduque, Navarro’s collaborating counsel, hailed the court’s decision as a Christmas gift.
“So far as of now I’m so elated. I was shouting and crying at the same time when I received the email from the court this morning. This is an early Christmas gift for us and for Vhong. Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng nagdasal at naniwala (Thank you to all those who prayed and believed),” she said.
With the granting of the bail, Navarro will be released from the Taguig City Jail Male Dormitory where he was transferred on Nov. 21.
Abraham-Garduque said they will immediately process the bail so Navarro will be released.
“We will try pag maayos namin lahat requirements for bail (We will try if we are able to process all the requirements for bail),” she said.
Navarro is accused of raping Cornejo in her condominium unit in Taguig on Jan. 17, 2014.
Related stories:
Taguig court says Deniece Cornejo inconsistent in her affidavits, testimony vs Vhong https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/06/taguig-court-says-deniece-cornejo-inconsistent-with-her-affidavits-testimony-vs-vhong/
Vhong Navarro thanks Taguig court for granting him bail in rape case filed by Cornejo https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/06/vhong-navarro-thanks-taguig-court-for-granting-him-bail-in-rape-case-filed-by-cornejo/