Hindi nababahala ang kampo ni Vhong Navarro sa inilabas na kautusan ng Court of Appeals (CA) sa Taguig Prosecutor's Office na sampahan ang actor-TV host ng reklamong rape at acts of lasciviousness.
Kaugnay ito sa reklamo ng modelong si Deniece Cornejo laban sa It’s Showtime host noong taong 2014.
Read: CA orders Taguig Prosecutors to file rape, acts of lasciviousness charges vs Vhong Navarro
Sa pahayag na ipinadala ng abogada ni Vhong na si Atty. Alma Mallonga sa TV Patrol ngayong Lunes, August 1, sinabi nilang hindi pa pinal ang desisyon ng CA.
Maghahain daw sila ng motion for reconsideration sa korte upang baligtarin ang nasabing desisyon.
Bukod pa rito, gagamitin din ni Vhong ang lahat ng naaayon sa batas kaugnay sa kasong ito.
Buong pahayag ni Atty. Mallonga, “The decision is not yet final as Vhong Navarro will ask the Court of Appeals to reconsider the same.
“He will exercise all the other rights and remedies that are available to him under the law.”
Sa dalawampu’t anim (26) na pahinang desisyon ng CA 14th Division noong July 21, 2022—na inilabas kahapon, July 31—pinaboran ng hukuman ang petition for review na inihain ni Deniece.
Isinantabi na ng CA ang mga resolusyon ng Department of Justice (DOJ) noong April 30, 2018 at July 14, 2020.
Bahagi ng desisyon ng korte: "Cornejo decries attempted rape on the night of January 22, 2014 while Navarro denies any wrongdoing. We reiterate once more that the preliminary investigation is not the proper venue on the respondent's guilt or innocence.”
Napuna raw ng CA na may pagkakamali ang DOJ sa hakbang nilang ipabasura ang petition for review ni Deniece.
Nakasaad sa desisyon, "It was erroneous for the DOJ to deny Cornejo’s petition for review on the ground that her statements in the complaint-affidavits are inconsistent and incredible.
"In this regard, it bears to stress that the determination of probable cause does not depend on the validity or merits of a party’s accusation or defense or on the admissibility or veracity of testimonies presented.”
Dagdag pa sa desisyon, wala daw sa preliminary investigation ang makapagsabi na nagkaroon ng sala o wala ang taong nasasangkot sa reklamong panggagahasa.
Dagdag pa rito, "Ultimately, it falls upon the trial court to determine who between Navarro and Cornejo speaks the truth. Cornejo decries attempted rape on the night of January 22, 2014 while Navarro denies any wrongdoing on his part. We reiterate once more that the preliminary investigation is not the proper venue to rule on the respondent's guilt or innocence.
"Finally, it must be borne in mind that the admissibility or inadmissibility of the parties' evidence should be ventilated before the trial court during the trial proper and not in the preliminary investigation."
Ang desisyon ay pinirmahan ni Associate Justice Florencio Mamauag Jr., at sinang-ayunan nina Associate Justices Victoria Isabel Paredes at Mary Charlene Hernandez-Azura.