One of the Suspects in Vhong Navarro’s Case Arrested after Months of Hiding

Last January 2014, the Philippine headlines were brimming with the news of the actor-TV host Vhong Navarro’s alleged rape case with the model Deniece Cornejo. However, later reports confirmed that it was the other way around and Navarro was indeed the victim.

OUT ON BAIL. Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee, both accused of the January 2014 mauling of comedian-host Vhong Navarro.

Image Source: Rappler.com

Vhong Navarro and Ferdinand Guerrero Image Source: Philstar.com

A year after Navarro’s controversial mauling issue; the case has finally made another progress when National Bureau of Investigation team arrested of one of the alleged suspects.

Ferdinand Guerrero, a businessman who was one of the five people charged with grave coercion filed by Navarro was arrested last Sunday 11PM after a year of hiding in his penthouse at Ritz Tower, Makati City.

After being issued with a warrant of arrest last January 2014 over the mauling case, Guerrero has ever since tried every possible way to escape from the authority.

It can be remembered that two days after the charges were released against him; Guerrero tried to escape the authorities by leaving for Hongkong. Fortunately, immigration authorities recognized him and blocked him from leaving the country.

In a statement issued by NBI Anti-Illegal Drugs Unit chief Eric Isidro, he said that the penthouse was under surveillance of the NBI team for about two months now. The surveillance didn’t come easily because Guerrero used different cars and resided in different condominiums.

“He tried to disguise himself by growing facial hair. Before the warrant of arrest was issued against him, he was sporting a clean look.” Isidro said in an interview.

Guerrero was also charged with serious-illegal detention together with Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee, Zimmer Raz and Jed Fernandez. It was a non-bail case but the court granted Cornejo, Raz and Lee to post bail.