THE National Bureau of Investigation yesterday said it will transfer comedian-television host Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro to a jail facility at the Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
In a statement, the NBI Security Management Section said it had received an order last November 14 from the Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 69 to commit Navarro to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology Jail—Male Dormitory at Camp Bagong Diwa.
“Mr. Navarro will have to undergo the mandatory medical examination, including RT-PCR test, in compliance with the health protocol requirements prior to his transfer to BJMP, Taguig City,” the NBI said.
The Taguig RTC denied Navarro’s motion last September to remain in the NBI detention center over the rape charges filed by model Deniece Cornejo, a charge he had repeatedly denied.
Rape is a non-bailable offense.
In denying his petition, Judge Loralei Cruz Datahan said Navarro’s camp failed to provide sufficient reason or justification on why he should remain in NBI custody.
The court said Navarro failed to prove that his life would be in danger if he is transferred from NBI custody to a local jail.
Navarro has been in detention at the NBI detention center since September 19 after the Taguig RTC issued a warrant for his arrest.
He declined to enter a plea during his arraignment last month, prompting the court to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Cornejo initially claimed Navarro raped her on January 22, 2014 inside her condominium unit in Global City, Taguig but later claimed she was also raped on January 17 of the same year.
The Department of Justice cited Cornejo’s inconsistent claims in junking her complaint twice.
But the Court of Appeals in July overturned the DOJ’s resolution and directed it to file the rape case against Navarro.
Aside from the rape case, Navarro is also facing acts of lasciviousness case before the Taguig metropolitan trial court also filed by Cornejo.
