Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. yesterday confirmed that Simeon Raz was already at the Reception and Diagnostic Center of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City while Deniece Cornejo was admitted at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City.

Both Raz and Cornejo, together with business executive Cedric Lee and Ferdinand Guerrero, were sentenced to reclusion perpetua by a Taguig Regional Trial Court in connection with the serious illegal detention for ransom case filed by actor Vhong Navarro.

Catapang said the bureau has yet to receive the commitment order for Lee, who surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation last night.

Upon receipt of the commitment order, the newly committed persons deprived of liberty are received at the Reception and Diagnostic Center for initial interview and checkup. He or she will be placed in a Quarantine Cell for a period of five days with no visiting privileges, followed by diagnostic procedure that include medical, sociological, psychological, educational, and classification process for 55 days.

"Since we are no longer allowed to accept any more PDLs at the NBP and with the ongoing decongestion program being implemented, I have ordered NBP Supt., C/CINSP Roger Boncales, to determine where they will be committed, just like any other newly committed PDLs," Catapang explained.

Lee, on the other hand, is in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation hours after a Taguig court found him, Cornejo, and two others guilty of serious illegal detention.

At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday when NBI agents took custody of the convict in Mandaluyong, he arrived at the NBI headquarters in Quezon City at almost 8:00 p.m.

Lee said he opted to submit himself to the authorities while his lawyers prepare his appeal before the Court of Appeals.

He said it was better to be in prison than be in hiding because he could talk to his loved ones and lawyers.

Lee, who had been detained before, expressed confidence that the truth will come out eventually as long as he followed the process.

NBI director, Atty. Medardo Dilemos, said the agents picked up Lee after the latter sent word that he was turning himself in.

Lee had his mugshot and fingerprints taken following his surrender. The warrant for his arrest will be returned to the Taguig Regional Trial Court, which will be expected to come up with a commitment order.

To recall, the court on Thursday found businessman Lee, Cornejo, Ferdinand Guerrero, and Simeon Raz guilty of illegally detaining TV host and actor Vhong Navarro in 2014.

In a 94-page decision, the Taguig RTC Branch 153 found the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of serious illegal detention for ransom under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code.

The court sentenced them to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years imprisonment.

"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 before, during, and after the commission of the crime," the court said.

It added that their conduct disclosed "a common understanding between them" on the commission of the crime.

The bail bond of the accused was also canceled by the court.