Manila, May 2 -- The Taguig regional trial court (RTC) on Thursday sentenced to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment businessman Cedric Lee, Deniece Millinette Cornejo and two others for the illegal detention of television host Ferdinand "Vhong" Navarro 10 years ago.

In a 94-page decision, Judge Mariam Bien of the Taguig RTC Branch 153 found Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero and Simeon Raz of "serious illegal detention for ransom" under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.

The court also ordered the accused to pay Navarro PHP300,000 in civil indemnity and damages.

"It is all too apparent that the accused planned and premeditated to restrain Vhong Navarro to extort money from him. Proof of their agreement is inferred from their conduct, ...