Deniece lawyer : No need for medical doc to prove rape

MANILA, Philippines - There is no need for a medical certificate to prove that Deniece Cornejo had been raped by TV host Vhong Navarro on the night of Jan. 22 inside her rented condominium in Taguig City, a lawyer said on Monday.

Lawyer Howard Calleja said a medico-legal document to bolster the claim of Cornejo that she was raped is not  necessary.

"It has been ruled by the Court that a medico-legal ( certificate) is not necessary to prove the crime of rape," Calleja told philstar.com in a phone interview.

He added that the all the pieces of evidence regarding the case will be discussed and submitted to the court at the proper time.

Cornejo, with the help of Calleja, lodged the rape case against Navarro at the Taguig Prosecutors' Office.

As this developed, Calleja said they are still waiting for copies of the Navarro's complaint and the CCTV footages taken at the lobby and elevator of Forbeswoods Heights condominium at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig on the night of Jan. 22.

Calleja said he had sent a representative, Atty. Arleo Magtibay, to inform the National Bureau of Investigation - National Capital Region assistant regional director Vicente de Guzman that he would be handling the case and representing Cornejo.

He added that they also requested the NBI to furnish them a copy of the CCTV footage made public by the agency.

"Eh kung bibigyan nila (NBI) kami. Hanggang ngayon wala pa," Calleja said, referring to the CCTV footage and the copies of the complaint.

An NBI-NCR investigator said they could not give the request of Cornejo's camp because the criminal cases are now with the Department of Justice.

"It is not proper that we give them the copies because the it (case) is now with the DOJ. Dun na lang sila kumuha," the prober said.  

Navarro has filed six cases-- including serious physical injuries and serious illegal detention-- against Cornejo; businessman Cedric Lee, Lee's sister, Bernice; Ferdinand Guerrero; a certain Mike; Zimmer Rance and two other unidentified men before the DOJ.