COMEDIAN and television host Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro declined to enter a plea during his arraignment yesterday before the Taguig city regional trial court on the rape case filed by model Deniece Cornejo.
Navarro’s lawyer, Alma Malonga, said she advised her client not to enter a plea during the proceeding before the sala of Taguig RTC Branch 69 Judge Loralei Cruz Datahan considering they have a pending petition for review filed before the Supreme Court.
The petition challenged the ruling of the Court of Appeals junking Navarro’s plea seeking reconsideration of the appellate court’s order directing the Department of Justice to file the rape and acts of lasciviousness cases before the Taguig RTC and Metropolitan Trial Court based on the complaint of Cornejo.
Since Navarro did not enter a plea, the court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Navarro did not personally attend the proceeding but he participated via videoconferencing based on the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court allowing such procedure and approved by the RTC.
Navarro has been in detention at the NBI detention center since September 19 after the Taguig RTC issued a warrant for his arrest.
Rape is a non-bailable offense.
He is also facing an acts of lasciviousness case before the Taguig metropolitan trial court also filed by Cornejo. Navarro posted bail amounting to P36,000 in the said case.
The court did not allow Cornejo to attend the arraignment via videoconferencing. She also failed to show up in person.
Cornejo’s counsel Howard Calleja attended the proceeding.
