MANILA, Philippines — Television host and comedian Vhong Navarro intends to explore further legal actions after the Court of Appeals ordered the release of Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee, his lawyer announced Monday, September 28.
Navarro’s legal counsel, Atty. Alma Mallonga, stated that the actor remains committed to the judicial system and will utilize all remaining legal options.
“Through all these years, Mr. Vhong Navarro chose to keep faith with the justice system in place in our country… In keeping with that faith, he will continue to pursue all the remedies that are available to him,” Mallonga said.
“He is prepared to fully accept the result of that process when it finally ends,” she said.
The appellate court altered the convictions of Lee and Cornejo, downgrading their charge from serious illegal detention for ransom to grave coercion, resulting in a revised prison sentence ranging from six months minimum to three years, six months, and 21 days maximum.
“it is not true that the accused have been detained since 2014, which is the reason the Court of Appeals had ordered their immediate release,” Mallonga asserted.
“But they have, in fact, been serving time in prison. Whether or not the period the accused have spent in incarceration is sufficient, considering the affirmance of their conviction, is a matter of law which everyone is bound to respect,” she said.
“Mr. Navarro shall continue to trust in the process and abide by whatever that requires,” Mallonga added.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) confirmed it is reviewing court documentation prior to executing any release, noting that both individuals are also serving separate sentences for another grave coercion conviction.
Lee entered BuCor custody on May 3, 2024, while Cornejo was turned over a day earlier.
With accumulated Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) and study credits as of September 26, Lee’s total credited time served stands at three years, 10 months, and 29 days, while Cornejo’s stands at three years, nine months, and 24 days.
Under BuCor’s current calculations, Lee’s minimum sentence term matures on February 18, 2027, and Cornejo’s on December 23, 2026.