Ferdinand Guerrero, One of Vhong Navarro Beating Suspects, Tries to Flee Philippines

Ferdinand Guerrero, One of Vhong Navarro Beating Suspects, Tries to Flee Philippines
Vhong Navarro after he was beaten, recovering in a hospital. (Screenshot/ABS-CBN)
Zachary Stieber
4/14/2014
Updated:
7/18/2015

Ferdinand Guerrero, one of the seven suspects in the Vhong Navarro beating case, tried to flee the Philippines.

Guerrero was about to board a Cebu Pacific flight to Hong Kong at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, terminal 3, when he was stopped and questioned by an immigration officer.

Guerrero was not allowed on the plane, which was set to depart at 4:43 a.m. local time.

Guerrero hurriedly left the area after he was denied, officers told DZBB.

Guerrero is one of seven suspects in the now infamous January 22 incident that involved Vhong Navarro being tied up, beaten, and threatened with blackmail.

Cedric Lee and Deniece Cornejo, the leaders of the group, said that Navarro was trying to rape or did rape Cornejo, but that complaint has been thrown out.

Instead, Lee, Cornejo, Guerrero, Cedric’s sister Bernice Lee, Simeon Raz, Jose Calma, and Sajed Abuhijleh have been charged with crimes including serious illegal detention, grave coercion, and unlawful arrest.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that a Department of Justice panel has ruled that Navarro was “being deprived of his will at that point when those men ganged up on him.”

The so-called Lookout Order issued for the seven suspects does not prevent them from leaving the country, per se, but does draw a lot of attention to them if they do try to leave the country.

Guerrero, who introduced himself to the immigration counter under a different name, was notified about the order. 

“Guerrero argued with the Immigration official but later decided to cancel his trip,” according to ABS-CBN. Another report said that “unwarranted attention” prompted the suspect to not board the plane.

Cedric Lee also tried to flee the country to Dubai over the weekend but later canceled the booking when the information was leaked.