Rufa Mae Quinto urges complainants to go after skincare brand owners

Rufa Mae Quinto encouraged the complainants who filed charges against her to also go after the owners of Dermacare, the company at the center of the controversy that led to her arrest.

In an exclusive ambush interview by GMA Integrated News reporter John Consulta after she surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the comedienne said she is also a victim of what happened.

According to Quinto, Dermacare did not pay her for being their endorser.

"Wala naman akong kinalaman sa kanila. Hindi ko naman sila na-meet, or nakilala. In fact, ako din, hindi rin nabayaran. Nag-bounce lahat ng cheke. At three months lang po ako na parang 'yung pumirma ako, tapos first down talbog, second down talbog. So puro bouncing, tapos sabi 'sorry.' Kinancel din nila ako as endorser," Rufa said.

"So sana 'yung mga biktima, 'yuna ang hanapin n'yo 'yung may-ari, kung sino 'yung kausap nila. Pangalawa, sana i-highlight n'yo kung sino ang kawatan dito, hindi 'yong porket artista, ikaw na agad 'yong laging nasa news. Ibig sabihin kailangang malinaw na hindi lang ako, kundi dapat pati mismo ang may-ari ang dapat habulin," she added.

Quinto is charged with 14 counts of violation of Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code, which states that securities such as shares and investments may not be sold in the Philippines without a registration statement duly filed with and approved by the SEC.

However, her legal counsel, Atty. Mary Louise Reyes, clarified that Quinto is not facing a large-scale estafa complaint. She is set to post bail worth P1.7 million.

"Hindi maganda kasi reputasyon ko na 'yong sinisira dito, kaya rin haharap ako para i-clear ko 'yung name ko," Quinto said the case.

In a separate interview, Reyes she is confident that her client will overcome the case filed against her.

"We're going to face the charges. Mag-popost kami ng bail, kasi wala namang tinatago ang kliyente ko. Inosente naman siya and nadamay lang. So wala ng problema sa aming harapin ito, but it's just difficult for her part na pagdadaanan niya 'tong process na ito," she said.

Quinto said she is still thinking if she will file countercharges against the complainants.

Dermacare is the same company involved in the arrest of actress-entrepreneur Neri Naig.

In September 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released an advisory about Dermacare-Beyond Skin Care Solutions, saying that the company was not authorized to solicit investments because they are not registered and have no license to sell securities.

In the same advisory, the commission said that salesmen, brokers, dealers, agents, promoters, influencers, and endorsers of Dermacare may be sued.

GMA Integrated News has been trying to reach Dermacare for their statement. We will update the story once we've heard from Dermacare.

—Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News