Details emerge on Acosta, the woman in new Navarro rape case

MANILA, Philippines – After revealing herself to the public, Roxanne Acosta, the alleged victim in a new rape case filed against actor Vhong Navarro, revealed details regarding her story, reported GMA 7 news show 24 Oras.

In the interview, Acosta said she decided to reveal her identity in order to fight for her rights and for justice.

According to news show Bandila, Acosta met Navarro in 2010 on noontime show Showtime, where Navarro serves as co-host. Acosta was one of the contestants in a beauty contest, which was featured on the show.

Acosta told 24 Oras that Navarro started calling and texting her after they met in the show. Acosta said she felt “kilig” because an actor had given her attention. She said she soon agreed to meet with Navarro, who picked her up at the hotel where she and her fellow contestants were staying.

She said she was shocked at what the actor did to her. She claimed she did not take action immediately after the alleged rape happened because she was scared for her life.

An emotional Acosta told 24 Oras, “Nahihiya ako eh… Takot kasi ako, I was scared, I was young…Kasi alam kong wala akong laban at takot ako kasi baka patayin niya ako eh.” (I was embarrassed… I was scared, I was young… Because I knew I had no chance against him and I was scared because he might kill me)

In previous interviews, her legal counsel Virgilio Batalla reiterated that the law allows for an alleged rape victim to file the case within 20 years.

Strength from Cornejo’s case

Acosta’s lawyer was first to speak out to the media, shortly after the case was filed to the Pasig City Prosecutor on Wednesday, February 19. In an interview with Aquino & Abunda Tonight, Batalla revealed that the alleged rape happened in 2010, and that his client had only earned the strength to come out after seeing news about the controversial case where Navarro was accused of attempted rape.

Conflicting sides emerged regarding the controversial incident which happened on January 22. Navarro claimed he was a victim of extortion and was beat-up and threatened by businessman Cedric Lee and company in model Deniece Cornejo’s condominium in the Fort.

Cornejo, who filed a rape case against Navarro late January, claimed that the actor attempted to rape her. Cornejo’s camp claimed the actor was beaten up after Lee and company caught him in his attempt to rape the young model.

Aspiring beauty queen

Although Acosta and her lawyer deny any connection to Cornejo and Lee’s camp, the public has now linked her name to the controversial case. Background information on Acosta are now slowly surfacing, much like how details about Cornejo and Lee’s past were unearthed.

Unang Balita reported that Acosta was once featured in GMA 7 show Wish Ko Lang as an aspiring beauty queen. In the feature, Acosta said she first entered the pageant and modeling scene when she was 16 years old, going on to join other pageants over the years. 

More to come?

Navarro’s lawyer Alma Mallonga told ABS-CBN news show Bandila that Navarro is “very confident” that he did not commit crime against anyone.

In a previous interview in Aquino&Abunda Tonight, Mallonga said this new case was “not unexpected,” given that Lee previously revealed that he had been contacted by other women who claimed to have been victimized by Navarro.

Mallonga said they expect more cases as such to surface.

The case is currently being handled by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which earlier filed a cases against Cornejo, Lee, and company for serious illegal detention, serious physical injuries, grave threats, grave coercion, unlawful arrest, and threatening to publish and offer to prevent such publication for a compensation. 

CCTV footage from the condominium obtained by the NBI appeared to support Navarro’s version of the incident.

A hearing on the case was held at the Department of Justice on February 21. – Rappler.com