Vhong's lawyer: New rape complaint 'first of others'

MANILA, Philippines - The lawyer of comedian Vhong Navarro believes that the new rape complaint against her client is only the first of many being cooked up by the camp of businessman Cedric Lee and model Deniece Cornejo.

Lawyer Alma Mallonga claimed that Lee, who led the group who assaulted Navarro on January 22, seemed to be arranging the case.

"Some weeks ago, Cedric [was] talking to some women, and I understand that his lawyer has said na mayroon silang pasabog," Mallonga said in an interview on ABS-CBN's "Aquino and Abunda Tonight" talk show.

Mallonga said that Navarro is more willing to come clean amid the new accusations.

"This has made him more determined to see this thing through," she said.

Navarro was also accused of rape by Cornejo, who claimed that the TV host tried to force himself on her twice on different occasions. The second was thwarted when Lee's group stormed the condominium unit and mauled the celebrity.

Mallonga said that the new case filed Wednesday before the Pasig Prosecutors's Office by an alleged victim who cited an incident four years ago did not come as a surprise.

"Hindi kami nagulat kasi [ang] intindi pa namin that this is just the first of others," she said.

The unnamed complainant's lawyer is a representative from a non-profit organization providing counsels to those who cannot afford legal fees.

Mallonga, meanwhile, dismissed the alleged abuse victim's credibility.

"If you're saying that you were inspired by the rape complaint of Deniece, alam na natin na hindi iyon nangyari," Mallonga said.

"Impossible dahil nakita natin sa ating dalawang mata na hindi nangyari [ang rape kay Deniece]. You cannot rape [someone] who was not there," she said, referring to the security footages released by the National Bureau of Investigation showing that Cornejo and Navarro coincided by only a few minutes on January 22, the night of the alleged abuse.