Court enters not guilty plea for Cedric, pal
A aguig City court yesterday entered a not guilty plea for businessman Cedric ee and Simeon immer Ra after they refused to enter any plea on the serious illegal detention case filed against them by actor and television host hong Navarro.
ee and Ra were arraigned before Judge Pa Esperan a Cortes of the aguig Regional rial Court ranch 271.
he accused and their lawyer, oward Calleja, declined to talk to reporters.
ee and Ra were escorted by agents of the National ureau of nvestigation back to the N detention facility in Manila shortly after their arraignment.
Earlier, Cortes suspended her order to transfer ee and Ra to the aguig City jail at Camp agong Diwa from the N detention facility pending the hearing on the two motions filed by Calleja on May 6.
Calleja had earlier asked the court to allow ee and Ra to post bail and to remain under the N custody.
Alma Mallonga, counsel for Navarro, said her client was also directed by the court to attend the pre-trial hearing of the case.
Serious illegal detention is a nonbailable offense. he court, however, may allow the posting of bail in cases where the evidence of guilt is not strong.
Mallonga told reporters that Calleja had asked the court to defer the arraignment pending the resolution of their appeal.
Calleja later decided to withdraw the motion and allowed his clients to be arraigned.
he proceedings are now at a sensitive stage. Everything is up to the court, said Mallonga.
Although the court did not issue a gag order, the lawyers for both parties have agreed to be careful in making statements to the media.
he court barred the media from covering the hearing of the case.
Mallonga also submitted yesterday Navarro’s supplemental affidavit for the rape complaint filed against him by model Deniece Cornejo.