Vhong Navarro denies attempted rape allegation

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – In an interview with Boy Abunda on Buzz ng Bayan on Sunday, January 26, ABS-CBN’s top entertainer Vhong Navarro vehemently denied attempted rape allegations from the police blotter that was previously obtained by media. 

Update: Rappler has obtained the police blotter from the Southern Police District in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. This is the body of the text in its entirety:

1842
1-22-14
11:49PM

For the record:

On this date and time, Mr. Cedric Cua Lee, of legal age, married, businessman and Bernice Cua Lee, of legal age, single, businesswoman, both residing at (ADDRESS) brought-in to this office one Ferdinand Navarro y Hipolito, 37 years old, single, television actor,and resident of (ADDRESS) for alleged violation of the crime of attempted rape based on the complaint of Deniece Milinette Cornejo, 22 years old, single, student, and resident of (ADDRESS).

According to the complainant Deniece Milinette Cornejo, at about 10:30 PM this date, while she was alone inside her residence located at the given address, when Ferdinand H. Navarro arrived. As a friend, complainant welcome Navarro inside her house. However, while inside suddenly hold the hands and pulled the hair of the complainant, forcing her to lay down on the chair. At that instance, sensing the evil motive of the suspect, the complainant fight back and able to run to her room but the suspect (Navarro)

(continued)

Followed her and forced her again to laid on the bed and tried to pulled down the victim’s short pant. The complainant cried begging to the suspect to stopped while Navarro was on top of her continued hurting the victim for his lewd desires. At that instance, complainant friend Cedric Cua Lee and Bernice Cua Lee arrived at the house of the victim and caught in the act what the suspect was doing and arrested the suspect through citizen arrest and brought to this office with injuries sustained at his face.

The victim verbally manifests that she is no longer interested to pursue criminal charges against suspect Navarro.

Deniece Cornejo
Victim

Ferdinand Navarro

Cedric C. Lee
Witness

Bernice C. Lee
Witness

Airing his side of the story, Navarro named the woman who indicated on the police blotter that he had tried to rape her. Navarro said that he first met the woman two years ago and that prior to that evening, Wednesday January 22, he had been to the apartment once on January 17. 

Navarro detailed that the woman had texted him and that they had arranged to meet up at an apartment at The Fort area on Friday, January 17, at around 10:30-1045 pm. 

He said of that first meeting at her apartment, where they drank white wine, “May nangyari po pero walang sexual intercourse.” (“Things happened but there was no sexual intercourse.”)

Navarro said that days later, on January 22, the woman invited him back to the apartment to talk over dinner. Navarro noted that he had brought take-out from a restaurant at The Fort, and soon after he set it down, a man arrived, pointing a gun at him. 

He said that his hands and feet were bound, he was beaten up by a group of men, and that at one point, he was videotaped with his pants down. He said that he was made to say that he raped a friend. 

Navarro said that he was then taken to the police station, where he signed the blotter that narrated the attempted rape. He also said that because he felt that he and his loved ones were threatened, he did not dare speak up at the station. 

He also said that he was asked to deposit P1 million to a bank account in order to ensure that word of the incident would not get out. Although the money was supposed to be deposited by him on the 23rd, he said that he has not paid up. He also said that he decide to speak up because he did not want any similar incident to happen to other citizens. 

He asserted, “Hindi po ako rapist, hindi ko po magagawa ‘yun, may takot po ako sa Diyos.” (“I am not a rapist, I couldn’t do that. I’m God-fearing.”)

Pep.ph has also reported that his camp is officially denying the attempted rape allegation and that “the accusation, contained in a police blotter, is pure fabrication.”

GMA’s denial

In yet another twist to the story, GMA News issued a statement Sunday night clarifying that the complainant “is not related to GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon.”

The statement, posted past 9 pm on the GMA News website, was an apparent reaction to social media posts claiming that the complainant is related to the Gozons. 

GMA was among the media organizations that first reported about the rape allegations against Navarro.

The GMA statement said: “The report about the alleged attempted rape was based on the blotter filed at the Investigative Section of the Southern Police District where Vhong Navarro was taken after the incident. Other news organizations also reported it.”

GMA is the rival company of ABS-CBN, which has Navarro as one of its popular talents. Navarro hosts ABS-CBN’s noontime variety show It’s Showtime. – Rappler.com