CA affirms RTC decision granting bail for Deniece Cornejo, et al

Deniece Cornejo. INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso

The Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the decision of the Taguig regional trial court (RTC) allowing model Deniece Cornejo and her two other co-accused to post bail.

Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and Zimmer Raz are facing a criminal case of serious illegal detention filed by actor Vhong Navarro.

In its decision, the Taguig RTC Branch 271 said the prosecution failed to provide strong evidence that the illegal detention is “actually serious.” A motion for reconsideration was filed by Navarro’s camp but was denied by the court.

READ: Vhong Navarro dismayed by court ruling for bail to Deniece Cornejo et al

Navarro then took the case to the CA saying the court has committed grave abuse of discretion. The actor said the lower court ignored the evidence presented by the prosecution and brushed aside all its valid contentions.

The CA 9th Division, in a decision made public Thursday, said the lower court’s decision was actually based on the prosecution’s evidence.

“The RTC found that at the time Navarro was being detained, he knew that his detention is for the purpose of arrest on the charge of rape,” the appeals court said adding that while Navarro had been detained, there is a possibility that his detention is legal in view of citizen’s arrest because of the allegation that he was committing rape.

“Clearly, the evidence of guilt presented by the prosecution failed to exclude all reasonable probability of any other conclusion. Hence, the RTC is justified in granting the application for bail,” the court said.

The decision is penned by Associate Justice Renato Francisco and concurred by Associate Justices Sesinando Villon and Manuel Barrios. /jpv