MANILA, Philippines — Businessman Cedric Lee and martial artist Simeon "Zimmer" Raz were released Tuesday after posting a bail of P500,000 for a serious illegal detention case against them by television host Vhong Navarro.
The accused were granted temporary liberty a day after the public release of a decision by Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 271 presiding Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes granting their bail petition for the non-bailable offense linked to the January mauling of Navarro.
Lee and Raz left the Taguig City Jail in Camp Bagong Diwa around 5:30 p.m. after receiving release orders from the Taguig court.
Lee was accompanied by her sister, Bernice, who was said to have witnessed the attack on Navarro earlier this year.
Commercial model Deniece Cornejo, another accused in Navarro's case, was also allowed to post bail but was not able to turn over the amount as of Tuesday afternoon.
The amount is still being raised by Cornejo's camp, saying they might file another plea to ask the court to reduce the recommended bail, radio reports said.
Navarro's lawyer, Alma Mallonga, decried the court decision and insisted that her client has a solid case against the accused.
"I'm very surprised, if not shocked and dismayed mainly because I know what the case is all about, I know what our legal and factual premises are and I know the evidence," Mallonga said.
READ: Vhong's lawyer 'shocked and dismayed' over bail grant