Host-comedian Vhong Navarro will “continue putting his faith in the justice system” following news that model Deniece Cornejo and businessman Cedric Lee have been ordered released from detainment by the Court of Appeals (CA).
Lee and Cornejo were originally sentenced by Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 153 to reclusion perpetua, or up to 40 years in prison, after being convicted of serious illegal detention for ransom of the “It’s Showtime” host.
The CA Special Seventeenth Division later downgraded the offense to grave coercion and reduced the penalty to a minimum of six months to a maximum of three years, six months and 21 days.
The Bureau of Corrections, however, said it is still waiting for key court documents and must complete a final records check to formally proceed with any release.
Navarro’s lawyer, Alma Mallonga, issued a statement on behalf of her client to “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” following the circulation of the CA’s release order. They noted that Navarro has always chosen to keep faith in the Philippine justice system. “Naniwala siya, noon tulad ngayon, na sa kabila ng mga malinaw na pagkukulang at kahinaan nito, mananaig ang katotohanan at ang kanyang mahaba at mahirap na pakikibaka upang itama ang kriminal na pagkakamali na ginawa sa kanya ay hahantong sa isang makatarungang konklusyon,” she said.
The counsel said that they will continue to pursue all available legal remedies and are prepared to fully accept the result of these processes.
Mallonga acknowledged that whether the period either accused have spent in prison “is sufficient… is a matter of law which everyone is bound to respect.”
The statement ended with Mallonga reiterating that Navarro will continuing to “trust in the process and abide by whatever that requires.”