MANILA - The organization behind the Miss Bikini Philippines pageant has filed a lawsuit against former contestant Roxanne Cabanero, who has accused actor Vhong Navarro of allegedly raping her during her stint in the competition.
The case, which was filed by Slimmers World International at the Makati Regional Trial Court last April 8, was raffled Friday to Judge Max de Leon of Branch 143, Slimmers World executive vice-president Helen Camacho told ABS-CBN News.
Slimmers World is demanding Cabanero to pay P1 million "for the damage sustained by [the organization's] goodwill and business reputation."
This is in addition to P400,000 as corrective damages and P205,000 for legal costs.
The pageant organizer said the moral damages were brought about by Cabanero's repeated and unwarranted mention of Miss Bikini Philippines and Slimmers World International in her rape complaint as well as in her interviews.
"There is no mistaking that [Cabanero] made mention of Miss Bikini Philippines for no other other purpose but to generated publicity, if not sympathy, for her purpoted plight, to the prejudice of the goodwill of [the pageant and the organization," the complaint read.
"The unnecessary but malicious inclusion/mention of [the pageant and the organization]," the complaint added, has led to Miss Bikini Philippines being "publicly condemned for 'failing to protect its contestants.'"
Slimmers World said Cabanero violated the rules of Miss Bikini Philippines when she supposedly entertained visitors during the contest period.
In her rape complaint, Cabanero alleged she was raped by Navarro during on the night of April 24, 2010 her stint in Miss Bikini Philippines.
She claimed the incident took place inside the actor's vehicle after he supposedly picked her up from Astoria Plaza hotel in Pasig, where she said the contestants were billited at the time.
In subsequent interviews, Cabanero changed the place to Millenia Suites, after both Astoria and Miss Bikini Philippines denied having contestants lodged in Astoria.
Cabanero also denied specifying April 24, 2010 in her complaint, after Island Cove and comedian Vice Ganda supported Navarro's claim that he was performing at the resort in Cavite on that date.
Cabanero's lawyer, Atty. Virgilio Batalla, said the date could have happened "during the time of April 24, 25, 26, and 27."
Navarro has since filed a perjury case against Cabanero.
Cabanero filed her rape complaint against Navarro amid the controversy surrounding a January 22 mauling incident which left the actor with serious injuries.
She denied having any ties with any of the 8 respondents in the criminal charges filed by Navarro, including businessman Cedric Lee and model Deniece Cornejo, adding she does not want her case to be affected by the legal battle in relation to the mauling in Taguig.
The Department of Justice has cleared Vhong Navarro in Cornejo's rape complaint and approved the filing of criminal charges against her, Lee, and 6 others.
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