Cedric Lee's camp finds judge's inhibition 'unfortunate'

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Cedric Lee, Simeon "Zimmer" Raz and Deniece Cornejo in the serious illegal detention case filed by television host Vhong Navarro called the inhibition of the Taguig judge from the case "unfortunate."

Lawyer Howard Calleja said that Navarro's lawyers asked Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 271 Judge Paz Esperanza Cortes to inhibit from the case after granting bail to his clients.

"It is very unfortunate because yung inhibition ay only because of one resolution. E kung titingnan naman natin, yung ibang mga resolution ay hindi pabor sa amin," Caleja said in an interview with dzMM on Tuesday night following Cortes' announcement that she would drop the case.

Calleja warned that Navarro's camp may also move to have the next judges handling the case to inhibit once they issue an unfavorable resolution.

"Hindi dahil hindi ka masaya sa resolution ng judge e ipapa-inhibit mo agad ... E pa'no kung yung bagong judge yung kanilang motion for recon ay hindi rin papaboran, ipapa-inhibit mo rin? E mauubos ang judges natin d'yan," he said.

The lawyer also decried allegations that Lee paid off Cortes to allow the temporary liberty of Lee, Raz and Cornejo.

"Kami ang na-bully," Calleja said, referring to criticisms that their camp earned after Cortes issued the resolution.

Cortes said allowing another judge to preside over the much-publicized case would help maintain her credibility.

Navarro's camp, however, said Cortes' inhibition is not an indication of guilt.

"Si Judge Cortes, I have high respect for her, sa katotohanan lang. And I have heard good things about her," lawyer Alma Mallonga said in another dzMM interview.

"Inhibition is not an admission that you did anything wrong," she added. - Camille Diola