Cedric Lee, the businessman convicted of grave coercion in the 2014 rape of television anchor Vhong Navarro, appeared in Taguig City court on Thursday as the prosecution’s first witness in the latter’s ràpe bail hearing.

Lee declined to respond to media inquiries.

Deniece Cornejo’s legal counsel, Howard Calleja, stated that the camp still has four witnesses to contest Navarro’s bail motion. He didn’t go into specifics.

“Natapos ‘yung aming testigo, unang testigo na si Cedric for today and we will present another one on Monday. We have until November 10 to present all our five witnesses,” Calleja stated.

“Testigo natin siya (Lee). Lahat ng testigo natin mahalaga. Tingnan na lang natin kung papano sila pakinggan ng korte.”

The criminal case is being handled by Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 69, where Navarro is accused of ràping Cornejo at her condominium unit in January 2014.

Navarro is requesting his release from prison after the court issued an arrest order against him on September 19.

“If they (prosecution) will fail to prove that the evidence of guilt is strong, then the right of the accused to post bail will now be enforced and he can now post bail,” Mariglen Abraham Garduque, Navarro’s contributing legal counsel, stated

“The argument on the petition for bail is that the evidence of guilt against the accused is weak or not strong. So, if we will be able to prove that after the presentation of the evidence of the prosecution, then the accused has a matter of right to post bail.”

Navarro participated in the trial through video conference as part of the COVID-19 measures.

“He was very interested in what is going on so he’s watching. He’s okay. Basta keep on fighting kami,” Navarro’s legal counsel, Alma Malonga, stated

“Our position there is that he is not to be held liable for the accusation,” she continued.

Cornejo was also absent from the hearing.

“Of course, [she will appear] at the proper time. We will have her here,” Calleja stated.

Navarro did not enter a plea in the ràpe case on Tuesday, as his attorney instructed, since they had a pending appeal for review at the Supreme Court.

As a consequence, the TV personality submitted a “not guilty” plea in court.

Navarro is being held at the National Bureau of Investigation after surrendering after arrest warrants were issued against him.