NAGULAT ang netizens sa biglaang pagbibitiw ni Atty. Ferdinand Topacio bilang legal counsel ni Deniece Cornejo sa rape case nito sa TV host/actor na si Vhong Navarro noong Huwebes.
Base sa sunud-sunod na Tweet ni ABS-CBN reporter Niko Baua kahapon ay, “Just in: Atty. Ferdinand Topacio is no longer the counsel of Deniece Cornejo in her rape case against Vhong Navarro. In a statement, Topacio explained that there has been a fundamental difference in the management of the case caused by certain people.”
Ayon sa abogado ay close friend niya ang ama ni Deniece na si Ginoong Rod Cornejo na hiningan siya ng tulong pero sa ilang kadahilanan ay hindi na nito ipagpapatuloy pagtatanggol sa dalaga.
Ayon sa official statement ni Atty. Topacio kay Niko, “I wish to state that I am henceforth dissociating and distancing myself from the prosecution of Mr. Ferdinand “Vhong” Navarro in the rape case filed by Ms. Deniece Cornejo against him.
“I have represented Ms. Cornejo as her counsel of record in the case of serious illegal detention against her filed by Mr. Navarro all these years upon the request of her family, especially Mr. Rod Cornejo, a friend of mine of long standing, until bail was granted to Ms. Cornejo and her co-accused, as affirmed by the Court of Appeals.
“I have also coordinated with Atty. Karen Jimeno in the filing of rape charges against Mr. Navarro. Our group, the Citizens Crime Watch, has also taken the cudgels for Ms. Cornejo after the Court of Appeals ordered the filing of rape charges against Mr. Navarro. I have done all these in the interest of attaining justice for Ms. Cornejo before the courts. There are certain people, however, who are trying to take the case in a direction which I do not wish to pursue as an advocate,” lahad ni Att. Ferdinand Topacio.
“With this fundamental difference in managing the case, I cannot in good conscience and ethics continue to be part of the proceedings.
“We shall, however, continue to assist Ms. Cornejo in the other cases she wishes to bring against those who have caused her damages through scurrilous libel, as she has manifested to me earlier, if she still so wishes.
“And the Citizens Crime Watch will still continue with its offer to assist the others who may have been victimized by Mr. Navarro, in accordance with our bounden duty to help all victims of crime.
“We wish Ms. Cornejo all the best in her continued quest to seek and secure justice. May justice prevail this time at long last.”
Sa kasalukuyan ay si Atty. Howard Calleja na ang tumatayong abogado ngayon ni Deniece na sinabing re-engaged dahil siya ang humawak ng kaso noon ng dalaga kasama si Cedric Lee taong 2014 at nagbitiw ng 2015.
Bukas ang BANDERA sa panig nina Atty. Calleja at Deniece tungkol sa usaping ito.
RELATED STORIES
Vhong Navarro transferred to NBI detention center
Taguig court orders arrest of TV host Vhong Navarro
Prosecutors file rape case vs Vhong Navarro
