Ferdinand Hipolito Navarro (born January 4, 1977),[1] known professionally as Vhong Navarro, is a Filipino comedian, actor, dancer, recording artist and television host. He is known for his iconic comedic roles in Agent X44, Mr. Suave, and Spider-Manparody filmGagamboy. He is a regular host on ABS-CBN's noontime variety show It's Showtime. He was also part of the dance group Streetboys alongside fellow It's Showtime host Jhong Hilario.
Early and personal life
Navarro was married to Lalaine Bianca Lapus but the marriage was annulled in 2008. He has two sons, Isaiah and Frederick. In 2019, Navarro and Tanya Winona Bautista were married in Kyoto, Japan.[2]
Assault incident/rape charges
On January 22, 2014, Navarro was attacked and severely beaten by a group of men inside a condominium unit in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, according to his manager, Chito S. Roño. Roño said Navarro was invited by a female friend named Deniece Cornejo to visit her condominium unit, where he was tied up and blindfolded by several men, threatened and then beaten up.[3] The perpetrator was identified as Cedric Lee, who was also accompanied by several other men during the time of the incident. Following this, it was stated that Navarro would temporarily not be appearing on It's Showtime and other television projects while he continues to recover.[4]
Navarro was accused of attempted rape, which he denied. In an interview with TV host Boy Abunda on Buzz ng Bayan, Navarro said he just arrived at the model's condo unit and then suddenly there were armed men that beat him up.[5][6] On January 29, 2014, one week after the incident, Cornejo filed a rape case against Navarro, but the National Bureau of Investigation said it was unlikely that there was an attempted rape on Cornejo, based on the CCTV elevator footage,[7][8] in which Cornejo was seen exiting the building only a minute after Navarro's arrival.[9] Navarro maintained that it was physically impossible for rape or attempted rape to have occurred in such a short time.[9]
On February 19, 2014, another rape case was filed against Navarro, by a woman named Roxanne Cabañero, alleging the rape took place in 2010.[10] Cabañero's case was dismissed in October 2014 due to insufficient evidence, with a statement from the Department of Justice saying Cabanero's story was "contradictory, suspicious, and of doubtful nature."[11]
On March 8, 2014, Navarro made a return to It's Showtime.[12]
On April 10, 2014, DOJ dismissed the rape complaint filed by Deniece Cornejo against Navarro.[13] A week later, DOJ issued a warrant of arrest against Cornejo and Lee. On April 26, Lee and his accomplice were captured and arrested in Oras, Eastern Samar.[14] On May 5, Cornejo surrendered to Camp Crame.
On September 16, 2014, the Taguig court set a PhP 500,000 bail for Lee, Raz and Cornejo.[15]
On January 25, 2015, businessman Ferdinand Guerrero was arrested by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) inside the penthouse of Ritz condominium in Makati as one of the suspects.[16]
On July 21, 2022, the Court of Appeals' 14 Division reversed the DOJ's decision to dismiss Cornejo's complaint.[17][18]
Navarro's mug shot after he surrendered to the NBI on September 19, 2022
On September 19, 2022, the Taguig Court issued an arrest warrant against Navarro 8 years after the incident happened.[19] He surrendered to the NBI on the same day.[20]
On September 19, 2022, Navarro surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after trial courts in Taguig issued him separate warrants for rape and "acts of lasciviousness" committed against Deniece Cornejo in 2014. Prosecutors said that the rape and molestations occurred at the hotel where Navarro was also falsely imprisoned and beaten by Cedric Lee and his accomplices as a result; the extent of his injuries made headlines at the time, and his assailants were eventually convicted. Navarro has maintained he did not rape Cornejo, claiming the pair did not engage in any sexual activity; and that Cornejo, Lee and his companions were seeking to extort him for financial gain.[19][20]
On December 6, 2022, the court allowed Navarro to post ₱1 million (roughly $18,000) bail.[22]
On January 12, 2023, the court denied Cornejo's appeal to cancel Navarro's bail.[23][24] In March 2023, the Philippine Supreme Court dismissed the charges due to lack of probable cause as well as noted what they considered to be material inconsistencies in complainant Deniece Cornejo's complaint-affidavits concerning one of the elements of the crime charged in the indictment.[25]
Cornejo (May 2, 2024)
Lee (May 4, 2024)
Mugshots of Deniece Cornejo and Cedric Lee following their conviction
