DOJ dismisses Roxanne Cabañero’s rape complaint vs Vhong Navarro

By: Kristine Felisse Mangunay - 10 years ago

Roxanne Cabañero. FACEBOOK PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The rape complaint filed by Roxanne Cabañero against “Showtime” host Vhong Navarro in February has been dismissed.

Alma Mallonga, Navarro’s lawyer, said on Thursday that they found out about the Department of Justice’s dismissal of the complaint via a resolution dated Sept. 8, which they received on Tuesday.

Mallonga, who arrived with Navarro at the Taguig Justice Hall past 2 p.m. to attend the last judicial dispute resolution session held there in connection with a separate grave coercion case Navarro filed against Deniece Cornejo and several others, said Assistant State Prosecutor Christine T. Perolino penned the resolution.

Asked on what grounds the rape complaint was dismissed, she said Perolino ruled that Cabañero’s allegations of rape were “contradictory, suspicious and of a doubtful nature.”

“For evidence to be believed, it must be credible in itself,” Mallonga said.

Mallonga added Perolino took note that the alleged rape happened in 2010, but the complaint, which was originally lodged at the Pasig Prosecutors Office on Feb. 19 but was subsequently transferred to the DOJ, was made “only” in 2014.

“The rape charge is rendered doubtful if the delay was unreasonable and unexplained, as in this case,” Mallonga quoted the resolution as saying.

She said Navarro, who was aware of the dismissal, was “happy and thankful” but also “remains vigilant.”

“The wheels of truth and justice continue to turn, slowly but surely,” she explained.

As for the grave coercion case, Mallonga said the judicial dispute resolution sessions ordered by Taguig Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 74 Judge Bernard Bernal were “terminated” based on what was discussed during Thursday’s closed-door session that lasted for about an hour and a half.

She said hearings on that case would resume on Oct. 16, with the pre-trial scheduled on that day.

Even before the judicial dispute resoution session started, Mallonga already hinted to reporters that no settlement would be forged between the opposing camps.

“I think (Navarro) is very consistent (that he will not settle),” she told reporters in a brief interview upon her arrival at the Taguig Hall of Justice.