The lawyer of Deniece Cornejo has challenged the lawyer for Vhong Navarro to take a lie detector test.
The challenge comes over the allegation from Florencia Cornejo, Deniece’s grandmother, that Navarro’s lawyer Alma Mallonga manhandled her outside the restroom at Taguig Regional Trial Court during a bail hearing on May 16.
The allegation, which was followed up by a lawsuit against Mallonga charging her with grave coercion, is the latest in a series of turns in the Navarro case.
The case started with Cornejo and her group, which includes businessman Cedric Lee, accusing Navarro of raping her. But evidence later backed up Navarro’s story that he was led into Cornejo’s apartment only to be tied up, beaten, and threatened with extortion.
The rape charge was dismissed while Cornejo, Lee, and the rest of the group face a host of charges. Many of them are in custody.
Now Florencia, Cornejo’s grandmother, claims that Mallonga grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her outside the restroom during the hearing.
Mallonga demanded that Florencio remove her shirt, which read “Justice for Deniece, jail the rapist,” reported ABS-CBN.
Florencia told reporters that the “rapist” didn’t refer to Navarro but insisted that she was allowed to have freedom of expression.
“It’s my right as a grandmother. I am crushed whenever I see her (Deniece) in jail,” she said.
Mallonga says that there was no manhandling.
“I am prepared to face the charges in court,” she said, adding that she also has witnesses to prove her claim.
