Deniece Cornejo. PNP-PIO PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Allegations that special treatment was given to Deniece Cornejo during her 23rd birthday in prison has been “blown out of proportion”, said her lawyer.
The issue is “a case of much ado over nothing”, said Ferdinand Topacio about his client who is in jail for serious illegal detention, which actor-television host Vhong Navarro filed against her and several others.
“No rules concerning her detention were violated, no special privileges were extended, and no untoward incidents were reported,” Topacio said in a statement.
“It is therefore most unsporting and unchristian-like to blow the simple birthday of Ms. Cornejo out of proportion,” he said.
He said Cornejo’s birthday fell on a Sunday – family day.
“Since it was Ms. Cornejo’s natal day, her close relatives and school friends visited her, and since the majority of her visitors belonged to Christian Ministries, there were group prayers conducted for and with Ms. Cornejo, as is practiced by the said religious denomination,” he said.
He said the balloons and birthday cakes were voluntarily brought in by her relatives.
The lawyer appealed to the public to respect Cornejo’s “dignity and humanity” because she was still innocent as guaranteed by the Constitution.
On Monday, a letter by Cornejo to President Benigno Aquino III was posted by journalist Tony Calvento on his Facebook account.
Cornejo talked about her birthday celebration in prison in the letter.
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