A Filipina celebrity temporarily landed in jail while another had to scamper in posting huge bail to avoid detention as the beauty care company they have endorsed got entangled in an investment controversy.
Metro Manila police has confirmed that it arrested actress-host Neri Naig during the final week of November as she was listed as the “7th Most Wanted Person” at its station level.
On the first week of December, on the other hand, the camp of actress-comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto admitted that she was the subject of several warrants of arrest and would post bail to avoid detention.
The legal woes of both Naig and Quinto stemmed from their involvement with Dermacare, a company that allegedly solicited investments from the public without a license.
Naig, 41-year old wife of popular Filipino rock singer Chito Miranda, was detained for 10 days after she was initially indicted for 14 counts of Securities and Regulation Code (SRC) violation and one count of syndicated estafa. Her lawyers managed to secure a release order due to a “procedural defect” in the case, particularly the wrong address used in the service of subpoenas and summons to Naig.
The court ordered the prosecution to conduct a new round of preliminary investigation on Naig’s case.
In indicted again, Naig will need to post a bail of Php 126,000 for each of the 14 cases of SRC violation (Php 1.76 million total) although the syndicated estafa case against her is technically non-bailable.
Naig’s rock star husband has been insisting on her innocence, noting that her role in Dermacare was mere product endorser who did not receive any money from investors.
Dermacare owner and chief operating officer Chanda Atienza has not publicly surfaced. Her exact whereabouts remained unclear.
Quinto, once a major sexy star of Philippine movies and television sitcoms, was said to be ready to post the Php 1.76 million bail bond for the 14 counts of SRC violation she separately faces. Her lawyer, Atty. Mary Louise Reyes, clarified in a press release that Quinto, unlike Naig, has not been slapped with the non-bailable case of syndicated estafa.
“She will face those charges… mag-voluntary surrender siya and magpo-post po kami ng bail for that. She’s worried kasi hindi naman totoo ‘yung allegations kasi my client po is just a brand ambassador, a model-endorser,” Atty. Reyes said. “Ni hindi sa kanya nakapagbayad ng downpayment, tapos ‘yung mga tseke po puro tumalbog. Lahat po ‘yan hawak naman po namin ‘yung ebidensya, ipe-present naming sa court.”
(Rufa Mae Quinto will face those charges… She will voluntarily surrender and we will post the bail bond for that. She’s worried because the allegations against her were unfounded because my client is just a brand ambassador, a model endorser… She was not yet paid with the downpayment and the checks issued to her bounced. We are holding on to these evidences which we will present in court.)
Investment regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said that as early as September last year, it already red-flagged Dermacare-Beyond Skin Care Solutions.
SEC said the company was not authorized to solicit investments from the public because it was not given a license to sell securities.
SEC also said that it publicly warned salesmen, brokers, dealers, agents, promoters, influencers, and endorsers of Dermacare may be entangled in suits because of the unlawful investment solicitation.
Recently, actor Ricardo Cepeda spent 11 months in detention after getting embroiled in an alleged investment fraud. Cepeda, sued for syndicated estafa, said he was “wrongfully accused” because he was merely hired as “brand ambassador” who had no hand in the investment scheme.
The veteran character actor won a bail petition to gain freedom last September although the case remains pending in court. —VER BERMUDEZ (Contributing Editor)
