Deniece Cornejo lawyer: Rape can happen even within one minute

Deniece Cornejo PHOTO COURTESY OF DENIECE CORNEJO

MANILA, Philippines—Within a minute, there can already be rape.

Lawyer Howard Calleja made this statement in a counter affidavit he submitted to the Department of Justice on Friday for his client, model Deniece Cornejo.

Calleja cited decisions issued by the Supreme Court showing that rape could happen within a minute.

“In rape, there is already a decision by the Supreme Court that in a minute, there can already be rape,” Calleja told reporters.

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier said it was impossible for rape to happen based on the CCTV footage it obtained from the management of the Bonifacio Global City condominium where Cornejo was staying.

The NBI said the footage did not show an instance where Navarro and Cornejo were left alone inside the condominium unit on Jan. 22.

During the preliminary investigation on Friday, Calleja questioned the authenticity of the CCTV footage. They filed a motion with the DoJ to compel the NBI to produce the unedited CCTV footage which was denied by the DoJ.

“There is no unedited CCTV footage, so how can we require the NBI to produce the same,” Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas said.

Cornejo, together with Cedric Lee, Cedric’s sister Bernice, and Zimmer Raz appeared before the DOJ and submitted their counter-affidavit to Navarro’s complaint.

Mavarro has filed a case against them for serious illegal detention, serious physical injury, grave threats, grave coercion, illegal arrest and blackmail.

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