The arrest warrants against Deniece Cornejo, Cedric Lee, his sister Berniece, and their companions namely Zimmer Raz, Jose Paulo Gregorio Calma, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Jed Fernandez who figured in the mauling of actor and TV host Vhong Navarro in a Taguig condominium on January 22 are already out.
This was revealed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Monday. Judge Bernard Bernal of the Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 74 in Taguig City issued the arrest warrants on April 11, 2014.
Cornejo, Lee, and five others have already been charged with grave coercion and illegal detention by the Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, one of the respondents, Ferdinand Guerrero, had tried to leave the country for Hong Kong Monday morning. He was prevented to board the plane after authorities rechecked his identity. He and the other respondents have a lookout bulletin order (LBO) that prevents them from leaving the country while their case is pending in court.
Guerrero was spotted falling in line at the immigration counter. He was supposed to board Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 108 bound for Hong Kong at 4:43 a.m. Monday.
“Guerrero was referred to secondary inspection and was not cleared for departure upon coordination with concerned government agencies,” said lawyer Elaine Tan, technical assistant at the office of Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison.
After arguing with the immigration officer, Guerrero hurriedly left the airport.
De Lima said Guerrero did not insist to board the plane anymore. If he had, the DOJ chief said the government has no recourse but to arrest him even without a warrant.
A person with a lookout bulletin order has to get a certification from the National Prosecution Service before he can be allowed to leave the country.
Another respondent, Cedric Lee, also booked a Cebu Pacific flight to Dubai on Saturday but the booking was later canceled when news about his flight spread.
The DOJ had sought not only the issuance of arrest warrants against the seven respondents but also a hold departure order (HDO) as well.
