Suspect denies taking part in attack on Vhong Navarro

One of the suspects in the January 22 mauling of TV host-actor Vhong Navarro on Friday distanced himself from the group of Cedric Lee and Deniece Cornejo, saying he "never laid a finger" on Navarro.

In a counter-affidavit he submitted to the Department of Justice, Jose Paolo Gregorio Calma admitted being with Lee's companions — Jed Fernandez and Ferdinand Guerrero — on the night Navarro was mauled inside Cornejo's condominium unit in Taguig.

He said they went to the Forebeswood Heights Condominium for a get-together. When they reached the second floor of the condominium where Cornejo's unit was located, Calma said he moved away from his companios toward the far end of the hallway to take a call.

When he returned, he already saw Lee and their other companions taking a bruised and bloodied Navarro out of Cornejo's unit. Calma said his companions told him they caught Navarro attempting to rape Cornejo.

Not a party

"Since I was about to enter the room of Deniece that night of January 22, 2014, it is readily apparent that I have never lifted a finger on the victim nor any kind of body contact with him whatsoever at any given point in time," said Calma.

Thinking that the situation might get worse in case Navarro had companions outside, Calma said he suggested to the group to take Navarro, whom he didn't recognize, out of the building and to a police station.

"I am not a party to any of the crimes being imputed by complainant against me since my only and sole participation in the entire controversy is being together with him in the elevator going down from the second floor where Deniece's condo unit is located, to the lobby," said Calma.

Insisting he did not participate in the mauling and alleged illegal detention of Navarro, Calma emphasized that unlike his other co-accused, Navarro only mentioned his name once in the supplemental affidavit that the actor had submitted last February 4.

Afterthought

Calma also claimed the decision of Navarro's camp to include him in the charges was a mere "strategy and afterthought" to include as many "antagonists" as possible to establish the actor's claims.

"I... did not utter a single word to him. I also do not know the victim or know of him," said Calma, adding that the criminal complaint against him should be dismissed.

Calma admitted "feeling bad" when he saw a bruised and bloodied Navarro being escorted out of the building.

The complaints filed by Navarro against Calma, Cornejo, Lee and several others included illegal detention, serious physical injuries, grave threats, grave coercion, illegal arrest, and blackmail. — KBK, GMA News