CA upholds order for Rosanna Roces to pay beauty firm P3.1M

The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed its order for actress Rosanna Roces to pay a beauty company P3.1 million for breach of contract.

In a January 18 resolution, the Former Eleventh Division denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Roces, whose real name is Jennifer Molina, that challenged an earlier order for her to pay damages to Forever Flawless Face and Body Center, Inc.

The two-page decision stated that the actress' appeal did not raise new or substantial arguments that have not already been considered by the CA.

"Thus, we find no cogent or compelling reason to alter, modify or reverse the said decision," said the ruling penned by Associate Justice Ramon Bato, Jr. Associate Justices Ramon Cruz and Pablito Perez concurred.

In June last year, the CA upheld a ruling by a Quezon City court ordering Roces to pay Forever Flawless P3 million for three instances of breach of contract and P100,000 in legal fees.

The lower court decided in 2010 that Roces made defamatory imputations with malicious intent against Forever Flawless and Vicky Belo, a popular dermatologist and the president and chairman of the Belo Medical Group, on television in 2004.

The ruling resolved a complaint by Forever Flawless alleging Roces violated the terms of her contract by accusing Belo of performing an unsatisfactory liposuction on her, calling the dermatologist a "mere aerobic instructor," and claiming that Forever Flawless clients suffered burned faces, among other statements.

Roces was a former stockholder of Forever Flawless, owning shares that were given to her in exchange for her promoting and endorsing the company's services. She also availed of the company's products and services, including treatments by Belo.

When she sold her shares to Forever Flawless in 2003 for P1.5 million, the deed of sale stated she will not malign or discredit the company, its services, products, officers and stockholders.

The contract also stated that Roces should pay P1 million for each violation of its terms and conditions.

In her defense, Roces told the Quezon City court that her signature on the third page of the deed of sale was forged and that the provisions where she agreed not to malign the beauty company and pay damages for violations were void.

But the trial court ruled against her arguments for lack of evidence, prompting the actress to elevate her case to the CA.

In its June 2018 ruling, the CA agreed with the Quezon City court's finding that Roces was "motivated by vengeance to embarrass and discredit" Forever Flawless and to "besmirch the reputation and good name" of Belo. —NB, GMA News