BuCor: Cornejo, Lee can’t walk out of prison yet

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is reviewing the release of businessman Cedric Lee and Deniece Cornejo from prison.

The Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered the immediate release of Lee and Cornejo after their prison terms were modified.

BuCor Director Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said the bureau would ask the appellate court for a copy of the entry of judgment and the Taguig Regional Trial Court (RTC) for a certificate that the two have no pending case before finalizing the release.

The CA on Sept. 25 downgraded Lee and Cornejo’s conviction from serious illegal detention for ransom to grave coercion, reducing their sentence to six months to three years and six months and 21 days.

Both Lee and Cornejo were detained in 2024 over their involvement in an assault case against television host Vhong Navarro in 2014. They were sentenced to life in prison.

But BuCor records show that Cornejo and Lee are also serving sentences in another grave coercion case handled by the Taguig RTC Branch 266.

The sentences in the two cases are to be served successively, resulting in combined terms of four years and 21 days to seven years and 21 days.

Lee has accumulated 460 days of Good Conduct Time Allowance. Cornejo earned 440 days of GCTA and 75 days of Time Allowance for Study, Teaching and Mentoring.

Based on BuCor’s computation, Lee’s credited time served was three years, 10 months and 29 days as of Sept. 26. Cornejo’s was three years, nine months and 24 days.

The BuCor said it would not finalize the release until the required court documents and sentence computations are verified.