Absolved Vhong thankful for 'second chance' with girlfriend

MANILA, Philippines – Vhong Navarro thanked his girlfriend for giving him a “second chance” amid news that the Department of Justice dismissed on Thursday the rape charges filed against him by model Deniece Cornejo.

Assistant State Prosecutor Olivia Torrevillas, chief of the panel of prosecutors, also approved in a 42-page resolution the indictment of Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee and their six companions for serious illegal detention, serious physical injury and grave coercion. Serious illegal detention is a non-bailable offense.

RELATED: DOJ junks Deniece's rape complaint vs Vhong

“Gusto ko pong magpasalamat sa ating Panginoon. Ang dami ko pong gustong magpasalamat, especially madlang people, maraming-marami pong salamat,” an emotional Vhong said on “It's Showtime” on Thursday, April 10.

He added, “Sa dalawa kong anak at siyempre sa iyo Tanya (his girlfriend),  maraming salamat sa pagmamahal, sa pagtitiwala at pagbibigay muli ng second chance.”

“Sabi ko nga po, siguro hindi ako naging masyadong mabuting ama, hindi ko naibigay lahat sa anak ko. Siguro nagkasala ako sa girlfriend ko, opo inaamin ko pong lahat iyan. Pero pinapangako ko na naging mabuti po akong anak. At ang pagiging mabuti kong anak, gusto kong ipakita sa mga anak ko iyon kung paano ko nagawa iyon, kung paano ko nalagpasan iyon dahil ayaw ko pong mabahiran ng krimen ang aking pagkatao,"  Vhong further said.

“Ako po naglalakas ng loob na tumuntong sa stage dahil gusto kong magpasaya ng tao kahit may pinagdadaanan akong mabigat. Dahil gusto kong magsaya kang tayo. At hindi ko magagawang manakit ng babae dahil may kapatid akong babae, dalawa ang nanay ko na kinikilala. Hindi ko po magagawa iyon. Again, salamat po sa inyong pagdarasal,” the comedian ended.

In an interview with news website ABS-CBN News, Vhong said of his girlfriend: “Masarap lang 'yung feeling na pinagkatiwalaan ka lang ulit at ito 'yung pagsisimula namin ulit.”

It can be remembered that Lee and companions assaulted Navarro on January 22 purportedly to protect Cornejo.

Cornejo had claimed that Navarro was attempting to abuse her when Lee tied the television host to a chair and beat him up. The ABS-CBN talent was hospitalized after the incident, maintaining that he was "set up" for the crime and forced to admit it on video.