“In our perspective, the complaint was actually filed more for the purpose of public humiliation [and] to cause him harassment rather than to pursue a legitimate claim.”
Ito ang pahayag ng legal counsel ni Vhong Navarro, 37, kaugnay ng rape complaint na isinumite ni Margarita Fajardo, 27, laban sa actor-TV host sa Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office noong April 4.
Read: Vhong Navarro camp unfazed by third rape complaint against the actor
Bandang alas-onse ng umaga, Huwebes, April 10, nang magtungo si Vhong sa Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office upang lagdaan at panumpaan ang kanyang counter-affidavit.
Hindi na siya nakadalo sa itinakdang pagdinig kahapon dahil sa kanyang trabaho bilang TV host sa It’s Showtime, ang daily noontime show ng ABS-CBN.
Pinayagan ang actor-TV host na hindi na dumalo sa pagdinig para sa submission ng kanyang counter-affidavit, dahil naroon naman ang kanyang legal counsel na si Atty. Alma Mallonga.
Pahayag ni Atty. Mallonga, “By 1 p.m., we submitted the counter affidavit to the hearing prosecutor, si Nilda Ordoño.
“Because the complainant was not there, the counsel [of the complainant] was also not there, she [Ordoño] declared the case submitted for resolution.”
Nakausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) ang legal counsel ni Vhong kagabi, April 10, sa pamamagitan ng telepono.
VHONG’S DEFENSE. Kinumpirma ni Vhong na nagkatrabaho sila ni Margarita, na aminadong lesbian at stunt double, sa teleseryeng I Love Betty La Fea (September 2008-April 2009), na kinabilangan ng aktor at pinagbidahan nina Bea Alonzo at John Lloyd Cruz.
Ngunit nanindigan si Vhong na pawang kasinungalingan ang alegasyon ni Margarita na ginahasa niya ito noong “early 2009.”
Sabi ni Atty. Mallonga, “All he can say is it is not true that he raped her.
“He is actually surprised how the complainant would say these things about him because he thought they were friends.
"Their relationship, sabi niya [Vhong], they were friendly."
Kinuwestiyon ng abugado ang timing ng pag-file ng rape complaint ni Margarita laban kay Vhong, lalo pa’t hindi tinukoy ng complainant ang eksaktong petsa kung kailan naganap ang insidenteng panggagahasa sa kanya.
“Even if she has the right to file the complaint before the end of the expiration period, which is about 20 years, that does not explain why she did not file the complaint the first opportunity that she had.
“The delay of filing a case says a lot about the credibility of the claim, and of course, the ability to prove that the claim is true,” saad ni Atty. Mallonga.
THE ALLEGED RAPE INCIDENT. Ayon sa apat na pahinang sinumpaang salaysay ni Margarita, naganap ang seksuwal na pang-aabuso sa kanya ni Vhong nang minsang magkasama sila sa taping ng I Love Betty La Fea.
Break time sa set nang inaya diumano ni Vhong si Margarita na makakuwentuhan sa loob ng sport utility vehicle (SUV) ng aktor.
Pagpasok ni Margarita sa loob ng sasakyan, pinuri-puri siya ni Vhong at sinabihan daw ng mga katagang ito: “Ang ganda-ganda mong tibo. Dapat makatikim ka ng tunay na lalaki para ‘di ka na maghanap ng babae.”
Ayon pa rin sa sinumpaang salaysay ni Margarita, puwersahang isinubsob ni Vhong ang mukha niya sa pagkalalaki ng aktor, na inilarawan ng complainant sa ganitong paraan: “…very, very, very tiny penis, which appeared to be uncircumcised.”
Ikinagulat umano ni Margarita ang kahalayang ginawa ni Vhong sa kanya, lalo pa’t alam ng aktor na isa siyang lesbian.
"IT NEVER HAPPENED." Kontra-pahayag ni Atty. Mallonga, imposibleng ginawan ng karahasan ni Vhong ang complaint, base na rin mismo sa sinumpaang salaysay ng huli.
“She narrated how it supposedly happened.
“And by her narration, it becomes clear there could not have been force employed against her.
“She had repeated opportunities to shout and run, if it in fact happened, because she said that the rape supposedly happened in an SUV, which was just nearby the set and there were lots of people around.
"Other details show that no way could it have been committed, assuming arguendo [for the sake of argument] that what she was saying was true, which Vhong says, in fact, it never happened."
Ayon pa kay Atty. Mallonga, pinabulaanan ni Vhong ang detalyeng inihayag ng complainant tungkol sa maselang bahagi ng katawan ng actor-TV host.
“One of the most telling things about the complaint affidavit is that there is repeated false references to Vhong’s physical attributes.
“And they are so repeatedly and unnecessarily stated that you become suspicious of the real motivation for filing the case.”
Si Margarita Fajardo ang ikatlong naghain ng reklamong rape laban kay Vhong.
Ang una ay ang modelong si Deniece Cornejo, at sumunod dito ang beauty-pageant contestant na si Roxanne Cabañero.
Ibinasura na ng Department of Justice ang reklamo ni Denice dahil sa "lack of probable cause."
Samantala, hinihintay pa ang magiging desisyon sa reklamong inihain ni Roxanne laban kay Vhong.