Charles Teves
Vhong Navarro’s wife, Tanya Bautista, will do everything she can to have him released from prison after he was arrested over the alleged rape of model Deniece Cornejo.
In a media conference held in Timog, Quezon City, on Sept. 21, an emotional Bautista said she feared Navarro might be transferred to the Taguig city jail.
“Bago ako umalis kanina umiyak na naman siya. Siguro ang hirap talaga mag-process ng walang kausap kasi hindi naman niya kilala yung mga andun. Mabilis lang yung usapan namin kasi ina-update ko siya sa mga balita ni Atty. Mallonga. Kagabi ko lang talaga nakausap yung dalawang boys niya. It was the longest two days of our lives. I was referring to the back-to-back warrants of arrest,” Tanya said following her visit to her husband at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention center.
“I would describe it as rollercoaster. Andun na kami sa point na patapos na pero hindi ko alam paano nila patutunayan itong mga sinasabi nila. It was reversed,” she said when asked how she feels about the whole situation.
She feels Navarro is defenceless in his current predicament.
“This time iba ang yung bagsak ng mga balita. You were being attacked na hindi ka prepared. Wala kang weapon, wala kang gear to protect yourself. Parang ganun ang pakieramdam ko,” she added.
Navarro’s legal team is expected to file a bail petition.
“Next step namin is petition for bail. Lahat ng evidence binigay namin. Vhong was very consistent since Day 1. He confessed everything to me. So hindi ko alam kung ano ang nakikita nilang probable cause,”
Bautista is skeptical of her husband’s security if he gets transferred.
“That’s very scary. Threat yun sa buhay niya. I think our lawyers also filed a motion para hindi na umabot doon. Ako right now, ang worry ko is security for Vhong. So lalaban kami at alam ko na ipapanalo namin ito.”
Though unaware of the support her husband gets on social media, she thanked everyone who does.
“Thank you but I don’t read. Hindi ako ganun ka strong. Hindi rin naman lahat naniniwala kay Vhong. So I’d rather not read. Yung mga friends namin nagpapadala ng mga screen shots. Hindi ako pumasok sa commitment sa kanya for nothing. Noong nangyari ito, magboyfriend, girlfriend pa lamang kami. Nakita ko kung gaano siya nagsasabi ng tutoo kaya pinakasalan ko pa rin siya. Bumabawi talaga siya. Sobrang importante nun sa akin and and this happened.”
“We have an idea about the people behind this smear campaign pero hindi ko naman masasabi. Suddenly we were being attacked. Wala kaming kalaban laban.” she added.
Cedric Lee, Cornejo’s friend and ex-boyfriend of actress Vina Morales, said Navarro should face the charges against him.
“I feel slightly vindicated because finally we will have our day in court after almost 9 years,” Cedric said in a statement sent to ABS-CBN News.
“This serial rapist will finally be made to answer for all the women he raped. He can’t hide anymore behind De Lima who’s now in jail, or Calvento who’s now dead, or ABS who lost its franchise. His modus operandi of being a serial rapist will now be exposed,” he added.
Cornejo, Lee, and one other were found guilty of the coercion of Navarro in 2018.
Navarro and Bautista have been married for 14 years, getting married in Japan on Nov 28, 2019.
