Vhong Navarro not interested in settlement with Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee – lawyer

Actor and television host Vhong Navarro on Monday snubbed for the second time a mediation hearing set by the Taguig court for the grave coercion case he filed against model-stylist Deniece Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and several others, insisting that he is not interested in settling.

“Siya ay fully committed to pursuing the complaint. Hindi po magbaback-down si Mr. Navarro, wala pong kabayaran para kanyang masabi na 'okay na ako',” said Navarro's lawyer Alma Mallonga in an interview aired on GMA News' “24 Oras” Monday.



Navarro previously missed the June 2 mediation hearing set by Taguig City Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 74 where the case is pending. The mediation hearing has been reset to August 4.

The Taguig MTC Branch 74 said Navarro must still attend the hearing to signify his refusal to enter into a settlement with the respondents.

Navarro filed the grave coercion complaint against Cornejo, Lee, his sister Bernice, Simeon “Zimmer” Raz, Jed Fernandez, Jose Paolo Gregorio Calma and Ferdinand Guerrero for the mauling incident on January 22, allegedly perpetrated by Lee's group.

Among Navarro's injuries from the incident was a broken nose that required surgery.

He has also filed a serious illegal detention case against Lee's group before Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 271 also in connection with the mauling incident.

Cornejo, on the other hand, filed a rape complaint against Navarro but this has been dismissed by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Cornejo is currently detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame while Lee is detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) detention facility in Manila. — Elizabeth Marcelo/JDS, GMA News