Businessman Cedric Lee and model Deniece Cornejo were found guilty of locking away television host Vhong Navarro in 2014.
On May 2, 2024, the Taguig court ordered Lee, Cornejo, and two others to be put behind bars for life for what they did to Navarro.
Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 153 said that the acts done by Lee and Cornejo were beyond reasonable doubt. Hence, they must face the penalty of reclusion perpetua.
The court also ordered Lee and Cornejo to be immediately found as their bail bond had already been canceled.
Aside from reclusion perpetua, the court also ordered Lee and Cornejo to pay a total of P300,000.
“All monetary awards shall earn legal interest rate of 6% per annum from the finality of the judgment until fully paid,” the judge wrote in the decision.
In 2014, Vhong became the most discussed celebrity of that year after he was involved in an issue involving him, Deniece, and Lee.
Navarro was accused of taking advantage of Cornejo when the actor was invited to her condominium unit.
Lee’s group rushed to Cornejo’s room, claiming to be there to save the model from Vhong.
Last year, the Supreme Court junked the case Cornejo filed against Navarro after it was revived, which resulted in the television host losing his freedom for several months.