Vhong Navarro is suing Roxanne Acosta Cabanero for libel and perjury after the former beauty pageant contestant accused Navarro of raping her in 2010.
“She brought this on. She made this decision to detail this lurid fairytale about something that happened. She has to bear the consequences,” said Navarro’s lawyer Alma Mallonga.
Cabanero came forward after Deniece Cornejo accused Navarro of raping her on January 22.
That story appears to have been discounted via CCTV footage and other evidence, leading to criminal charges getting filed against Cornejo and her group, including businessman Cedric Lee.
Cabanero’s story has also appeared weak, with a strong alibi for Navarro’s whereabouts on the night Cabanero says that rape happened.
His colleague Vice Ganda says that Navarro was a guest at his concert that evening, April 24, at the Island Cove, a resort.
Management at the resort confirmed that Navarro was there.
Separetely, a manager at the hotel that Cabanero claimed she stayed at on that night--and from which Navarro picked her up--denied that Cabanero or any other beauty contestants stayed there.
Miss Bikini Philippines, the competition, also said in a statement that its contestants didn’t stay at that hotel.
“Obviously, she is lying about this,” Mallonga said on Thursday, referring to Cabanero. “We have clear evidence that she is lying about this. She was very specific about the date, time, and place. And we have all the evidence to show that she is lying.”
“It’s too much, lalo na ‘yong kay Roxanne. I think it is about time to show that we will not take this sitting down. It’s too much,” Mallonga told ABS-CBN.
“I think we have to do the right thing. And though it will take a little more effort on the part of Vhong, I think we should do this and say, ‘Vhong will not be a punching bag.’ He is being victimized all over again and this is not right.”
They are planning on filing the suit on March 13, the day of the first preliminary investigation into Cabanero’s rape charge.
Mallonga believes that Cedric Lee, who is a leader of the Lee and Cornejo group, is behind Cabanero coming forward.
“Vhong and those who are committed to help him will not be distracted. We will remain focused on the issue, we will remain focused on the agenda, which is to make the people responsible for the crime stand trial in court. That’s what we are waiting for.”
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Roxanne Cabanero: Second Hotel Contradicts Cabanero’s Rape Complaint Against Vhong
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