Cedric Lee voluntarily surrenders to NBI
Paulo Gaborni May 3, 2024 at 05:16 PM
Cedric Lee is currently in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation after surrendering hours following a guilty verdict for serious illegal detention for ransom, alongside Deniece Cornejo and two other respondents by a Taguig court on May 2.
Lee arrived at the NBI headquarters in Quezon City at 7:30 pm. He stated that he made the decision to turn himself in to the NBI while his lawyers were preparing an appeal for the Court of Appeals. Lee claimed that being able to communicate with his loved ones and attorneys while incarcerated was preferable to being in hiding.
However, he denies committing serious illegal detention of Vhong Navarro and expresses confidence that the truth will finally emerge as long as he follows the procedure.
Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Simeon Raz were found guilty on Thursday by Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 153 of unlawfully detaining TV personality and actor Vhong Navarro in 2014 in exchange for ransom, a violation of Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.
The court sentenced them to reclusion perpetua, or up to 40 years in prison.
“It is all too apparent that the accused planned and premeditated to restrain Vhong Navarro to extort money from him. Proof of their agreement is inferred from their conduct before, during, and after the commission of the crime,” the court said.
Furthermore, their actions revealed “a common understanding between them” regarding the commission of the crime.
Additionally, the accused’s bail bond was revoked by the court.
đź“· Cedric Lee FB