Vhong Navarro. Image: Instagram/@vhongx44
MANILA, Philippines – The Taguig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday stood by its order that allowed television host and comedian Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro to post bail on the rape case filed by model Deniece Millinete Cornejo.
In an order dated January 12, issued by Judge Loralie Cruz Datahan, the Taguig RTC said the motion for reconsideration with a motion to inhibit “lacks merit.”
“The present motion deserves scant consideration from this court,” read the three-page order.
Last month, the court allowed Navarro to post a P1-million bail for his temporary liberty.
Cornejo then moved to recall the grant of bail.
But the court said the motion does not have any conformity with the Office of the City Prosecutor of Taguig City.
“Time and again, the Supreme Court (SC) has emphasized that criminal actions shall be prosecuted under the direction and control of the prosecutor,” Judge Datahan said.
Quoting the Supreme Court, the court said: “All criminal actions commenced by a complaint or information shall be prosecuted under the direction and control of the prosecutor.”
It added that conformity of the public prosecutor is a must in pursuing criminal action.
“A private party does not have the legal personality to prosecute the criminal aspect of a case, as it is the People of the Philippines who are the real party in interest. The criminal case must be under the direction and control of the public prosecutor.”
“When the public prosecutor does not give his or her conformity to the pleading of a party, the party does not have the required legal personality to pursue the case,” it added.
In this case, the court said Cornejo merely furnished the public prosecutor a copy of the motion for reconsideration.