Deniece Cornejo ordered released, says Topacio

September 26, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said his former client, model Deniece Cornejo, has been ordered released by the Court of Appeals after being convicted in 2024 for serious illegal detention for ransom of actor-TV host Vhong Navarro.

Topacio posted a copy of the Court of Appeals’ release order for Cornejo in a post on X.

“Justice has been done,” Topacio said.

In an interview with Frontline Express, Topacio said the court found that the sentence imposed by the Taguig Regional Trial Court on Cornejo was too high, which was why it was reduced.

He said the two years that Cornejo has spent in detention was considered time served.

“Yung dalawang taon, more or less, na nakapiit po si binibining Cornejo ay ikinonsider na na time served or yun po ay natapos na niya ang kanyang sentensya kaya inorder na po siyang pakawalan,” he said.

Cornejo, businessman Cedric Lee, Ferdinand Guerrero and Simeon Palma Raz were earlier sentenced to reclusion perpetua in the case filed by Navarro.

Navarro accused the group of detaining him in a condominium unit after beating him up, and then demanding P2 million for his release.