Naghayag ng kanyang saloobin si Rod Cornejo isang linggo matapos patawan ng parusang habambuhay na pagkakakulong ang apo niyang si Deniece Cornejo ng Taguig Regional Trial Court Branch 153 noong May 2, 2024.
Ang hatol na lifetime imprisonment ay kaugnay ng kasong serious illegal detention for ransom na isinampa ni Vhong Navarro laban kay Deniece, Cedric Lee, Simeon Raz, at Ferdinand Guerrero.
Maliban sa impormasyong dinala na si Deniece sa Correctional Institute for Women (CIW), sa Mandaluyong City, wala nang nabalitaan ang publiko tungkol sa kanya matapos siyang basahan ng hatol noong Mayo 2.
ROD CORNEJ ON ON CONVICTION OF GRANDNIECE DENIECE CORNEJO
Kaugany nito, nakipag-ugnayan ang Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph) sa lolo ni Deniece na si Ginoong Rod Cornejo.
Si Rod ay dating executive sa GMA Network Inc. at kasalukuyang bise-presidente ng Prison Fellowship International Pilipinas.
Malaking tulong si Rod kay Deniece dahil siya ang naging tagapagsalita at isa sa mga gumabay sa apo mula nang akusahan nito ng panggagahasa si Vhong sa insidenteng nangyari noong Enero 22, 2014.
“Somebody must speak for her. She’s my grandniece. Her late grandfather was my first cousin.
“And these past years, naging malapit siya sa akin so she called me ‘lolo,’” paliwanag ni Rod tungkol sa relasyon niya kay Deniece.
Si Rod ang kasama ni Deniece nang araw na hatulan ito ng habambuhay na pagkabilanggo. Nasaksihan at hinangaan daw niya ang katatagan ng loob na ipinakita ng apo.
Lahad ni Rod sa ekskusibong panayam ng PEP.ph, Miyerkules ng gabi, May 8, 2024, “I fetched her from her condominium, her mother and her brother. Tatlo sila.
“We went to Bicutan [RTC Branch 153] not knowing that when I left Bicutan, hindi na siya kasama sa kotse, because dinala na siya straight sa Correctional Institute for Women kaya masakit sa akin.
“We’re all hoping. I was hoping.
“I feel confident that they will be judged not guilty kasi ten years ago, they were given a bail and that means, may basehan.
“Kaya lang, iba ang pananaw ng judge sa RTC so it was shocking talaga.”
Deniece Cornejo mugshot
DENIECE CORNEJO IN PRISON
Hindi pa raw nadadalaw ni Rod sa kulungan ang apong is Deniece dahil nasa quarantine pa ito.
Saad niya, “I am unable to visit her because she’s on quarantine. All I know is that she’s inside CIW and I guess she’s going through the process.
“I was just imagining she’s now wearing orange-colored uniform and she’s sleeping on the floor. I heard walang masyadong kama doon so she’s sleeping on the floor.
“And that’s gonna be her lifestyle for the next days, weeks, months, and even years, kaya talagang ako’y nalulungkot.”
Bilang bahagi ng Prison Fellowship International, hindi raw inakala ni Rod na isang malapit na kamag-anak niya ang makukulong sa Correctional, na pinupuntahan niya upang ibahagi ang mga salita ng Diyos.
Malumanay na pahayag ni Rod: “I’m involved in prison ministry. I belong to Christian Fellowship.
“And for the past years, I’ve been visiting CIW, sharing the gospel of Christ and bringing some relief goods to the inmates.
“It’s ironic na my own relative would be one day incarcerated there. It’s a bit ironic. I’m still in pain.
“I feel that the imprisonment of Deniece is quite harsh.
“Life imprisonment, I find it too harsh especially for her.”
Masakit man daw ang kalooban ni Rod, pero nananatiling malakas ang pananalig niya sa Panginoong Diyos.
“Napakalakas ng faith ni Deniece sa Diyos. Pati ako, malakas din ang paniniwala.
“There’s a verse in the Bible, Romans Chapter 8:28, ‘For we know that all things will work together for good to those who love God who have been called according to his purpose.’
“Ibig sabihin, whether good or bad ang nangyari sa yo, God can use it for good.
“But of course, justice has to be served, may batas, pero masakit talaga.”
Sabi pa ni Rod tungkol kay Deniece, “She’s very strong. She’s composed. She still has that strong faith that it will work out.
“But ito lang ang masasabi ko, I think what Cedric’s camp did to Vhong Navarro was not good. He took the law in his own hands.
“It’s regrettable na nangyari yan, but I still believe na Vhong abused Deniece.”
Ang tinutukoy ni Roy ay ang reklamo ni Vhong na siya ay piniringan, ginapos, binusalan ang bibig, at pinagbubugbog ng grupo ni Cedric Lee sa loob ng condo unit ni Deniece.
Ang alegasyon naman ni Deniece ay ginahasa siya ni Vhong, ngunit nakaligtas dahil sa tulong ng kanyang mga kaibigang pumigil sa karahasang ginawa ng actor-host.
Ibinasura ng Supreme Court ang kasong rape na isinampa ni Deniece laban kay Vhong noong March 13, 2023.
ROD CORNEJO’S MESSAGE TO VHONG, DENIECE, CEDRIC
Nang hingin ng PEP.ph ang kanyang mensahe sa mga sumusuporta kay Deniece, ito ang sinabi ni Rod Cornejo:
“I would like to give my message to Vhong, Deniece, and Cedric’s camp.
“It’s sad that it happened. Very sad.
“In fact, I believe that the Lord is using Vhong Navarro to teach Deniece and Cedric a lesson.
“I cannot judge Vhong, but I believe what Deniece told me that she was abused.
“Pero yung pambubugbog kay Vhong, hindi rin tama yon. Kumbaga, they should complain to the police, pero binugbog, e.”
Vhong Navarro (left) and Cedric Lee (right)
Para kay Rod, masyadong “na-demonize” ang apo niyang si Deniece sa mga pangyayari.
Aniya, “At masyadong na-demonize si Deniece. She was so demonized. Siniraan siya masyado, at dun ako nalulungkot.
“Ngayon, she’s inside and I supposed may people are happy about that, especially fans ni Vhong.
“Kaya lang, they’re also guilty of judging her.”
PRISON FELLOWSHIP INTERNATIONAL PILIPINAS
Ang Prison Fellowship International Pilipinas (PFIP) ay isang non-profit organization. Marami na raw mga bilanggo ang natulungan nitong magbagong-buhay.
Si Rod, na bise-presidente ng PFIP, ang nagpaliwanag sa PEP.ph tungkol sa misyon ng kanilang organisasyon.
Saad niya, “It’s a Christian ministry catering to inmates inside the jails, municipal and city jails, in partnership with DILG and BJMP.
“Ang aming pinupuntahan, we have about fifty jails all over the Philippines.
“The BJMP, they appreciate what we are doing because they can see the results. The inmates, nagbabalik-loob sa Diyos.
“I think we have more than 5,000 graduates already.
“Yung graduates, kasi we have programs, they get a certificate and that certificate, it has an equivalent days of credit, they’re given credit points.
“Yung kanilang term inside the jail, maiiklian kasi they can apply.”
