Suspect in Vhong Navarro mauling case flees

(Updated 8:31 p.m.) A suspect in the mauling of TV host-actor Vhong Navarro left the country days before a warrant of arrest in connection with a grave coercion case was issued by the court, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said Tuesday. 

"The Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed to me yesterday that Jose Paolo Calma left the country on April 10," De Lima told a press briefing.

De Lima said Calma's name was listed on the lookout bulletin as "John Paul Calma."

"Immigration Commissioner [Siegfred] Mison is now looking into this," she said.

Aside from the wrong name on the list, Calma has already left the country when he was included in the lookout bulletin order.

"On 14 April 2014, the Bureau was informed of the existence of the warrant dated 10 April 2014. On 15 April 2014, the DOJ issued ILBO (Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order) against Calma," the BI said in a statement.

Four days after Calma left the country, the Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 74 in Taguig City issued warrants of arrest against Calma, model Deniece Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and the other suspects in connection with the grave coercion case filed by Navarro.

Earlier, Calma denied taking part in the attack against actor Navarro on January 22 in Taguig City.

In his counter-affidavit issued on February 28, Calma explained that he was taking a phone call outside Cornejo's condominium unit when the alleged mauling incident took place. 

"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. — Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/RSJ/KBK, GMA News