Cedric Lee's friend denies laying hand on Vhong Navarro

Another suspect has distanced himself from the mauling of actor-TV host Vhong Navarro.

In his counter-affidavit, Sajed Fernandez Abuhiljeh described his inclusion as a respondent in the criminal complaint filed by Navarro as a “malicious afterthought done to lend credence to his weak claim of conspiracy.”

Navarro has named Fernandez, Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee and several others respondents in a criminal complaint he filed in connection with the mauling incident. The charges include illegal detention, serious physical injuries, grave threats, grave coercion, illegal arrest, and blackmail.

Navarro was attacked by Lee's group on the night of January 22 at Cornejo's condominium unit in Taguig City.

Fernandez said Lee, a friend of Cornejo's, had called him up on the night of incident, asking him to come over to Forbeswood Heights in Taguig City because Cornejo was allegedly being harassed.

Fernandez said upon arriving at the unit, he was shocked to see Navarro being beaten up, with Lee cursing and calling the TV host-actor a rapist.

"From what I was gathering at that time, Cedric chanced upon the complainant raping Deniece and beat him up to protect her," said Fernandez. "Based on the scene before me, I had and still have difficulty concluding what had really happened that night."

Never laid a hand on Navarro

Fernandez also said: "What I am certain about is that I never laid a hand on the complainant nor was I part of any plan to inflict harm on his person."

He said he interfered by telling Lee to stop beating up Navarro and instead bring him to a police station. He said at that point, he still has not spoken with Navarro.

"At the police station, I genuinely felt sorry for the complainant. I really tried my best to alleviate the agony he was evidently experiencing by affording him comfort through whatever means possible given the situation," he said.

Fernandez said he even asked a policeman to give Navarro a glass of water and to remove the duct tape on his wrists. He also claimed requesting the police to allow Navarro to wash his bloodied face in the sink.

Idolized by kids

Fernandez said he then tried getting Navarro's side of the story by asking him: "Ginawa mo ba talaga yun? Ina-idolize ka pa naman ng mga bata. Marami kang fans. Ginawa mo ba talaga yun?"

"The complainant [Navarro] merely said, 'Sir, sorry po...' I told the complainant, 'wag ka mag-sorry sa 'kin, wala kang ginawa sa 'kin," Fernandez said in his counter-affidavit.

Fernandez said Navarro then turned to face Cornejo and apologized. "Deniece did not say anything and just stared at the complainant," Fernandez recounted.

Fernandez said Navarro then asked him not to leave his side. He said Navarro told him: “Sobrang natatakot po ako... Wag niyo po ako iiwan. Wag niyo po ako iiwan. Natatakot po ako.”

“I said to him, 'Sige, wag kang mag-alala, dito lang ako sa tabi mo.' True to my word, I stayed beside the complainant until we left the police station," Fernandez said.

Offer to Vhong

After blotter proceedings, Fernandez said he offered to bring Navarro back to his vehicle and driver at Forbeswood, but the police offered Navarro a ride as well.

"However despite this, he still insisted that I accompany him. He said, 'Sir, wag niyo po ako iwan.' I asked him, 'Kasama mo na yung mga pulis, bakit kelangan pa ako sumama?' Again, he said, 'natatakot po ako.' I acceded to his request," Fernandez said, adding that he and Navarro exchanged mobile phone numbers.

After parting ways, Fernandez claimed to have called up Navarro on his phone, asking him to rest and take pain-relieving medicines. He also told Navarro to see a doctor.

"It again contravenes human experience that a person who had just committed a crime just as the complainant would like this Honorable Panel to believe will volunteer his personal cellphone number to the victim immediately after committing the offense," said Fernandez. — KBK, GMA News