‘Mauler’ tells DOJ: My Vhong Navarro encounter limited to elevator ride

NAVARRO

Jose Paolo Calma, one of the men accused of mauling actor and TV host Vhong Navarro last month, appeared Friday at the Department of Justice to deny the complaints lodged by the ABS-CBN star.

Assisted by his lawyer, Calma affirmed his counter-affidavit before the DOJ panel led by Senior State Prosecutor Ma. Elvira Herrera, which is conducting a preliminary investigation into Navarro’s complaints against eight people for illegal detention and serious physical injuries, among others.

He immediately left after the hearing and declined to speak to reporters.

In his counter-affidavit, Calma denied participation in the mauling of Navarro on Jan. 22 inside the condo unit of model Deniece Cornejo at Forbeswood Heights, Bonifacio Global City.

He claimed he was with fellow respondents Ferdinand Guerrero and Jed Fernandez that night, but that they were going to meet other friends at  Cornejo’s place. Their plan, he said, was to go nearby Burgos Circle to have a drink at a bar.

But as he was approaching Cornejo’s unit, Calma said, he met the other respondents led by businessmen Cedric Lee as the latter was bringing out a “bruised” Navarro.

Calma said he was told by Lee and the others that they had caught Navarro “committing a horrible offense of raping Deniece” and that they were planning to bring Navarro to the police.

He recalled telling Lee’s group to go down to the lobby because the commotion was already drawing the attention of other condo residents.

“I am not a party to any of the crimes being imputed by the complainant against me since my only and sole participation in this entire controversy is being together with him in the elevator going down to the lobby,” Calma said.

He maintained that he was never identified by Navarro as one of those who beat him up.

The DOJ panel set another hearing on March 7 to receive the counter-affidavit of Fernandez.

Cornejo, Lee, his sister Bernice, and another respondent, mixed martial arts practitioner Zimmer Rance, attended the hearing on Feb. 21 where they also denied the charges. Navarro in turn is facing a rape complaint from Cornejo.