Comedian and actress Rufa Mae Quinto is facing multiple arrest warrants tied to an alleged investment scam involving a beauty clinic she endorsed.
Talent manager and television host Boy Abunda confirmed the development during the December 2 episode of ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda.’
Abunda voiced his alarm over the case, questioning the responsibilities and liabilities of celebrity endorsers in situations involving business disputes.
“I am alarmed as a member of this industry and as a manager. Ang endorser ba ay salesman? Ang nagwa-warrant po sa publiko na ang produkto ay maganda at matino ang serbisyo ay ang may-ari ng kompanya,” Abunda said.
He urged fellow artists and talent managers to closely examine contracts and their implications, emphasizing the need for clarity on where an endorser’s accountability begins and ends.
“This is a wake-up call. The industry as a whole should study our contracts more. Saan nag-uumpisa at nagtatapos ang responsibilidad?” he added.
Quinto’s lawyer, Atty. Mary Louise Reyes, confirmed the warrants and stated that the actress faces 14 counts of violating Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code (RA 8799). The provision mandates that securities, including shares and investments, must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) before being sold.
READ: Rufa Mae Quinto hindi binayaran ng downpayment according to her legal counsel. pic.twitter.com/WnAEPhVrJd
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However, Reyes clarified that Quinto is not involved in any large-scale estafa case.
The charges against Quinto are linked to Dermacare, the same beauty clinic tied to the arrest of actress-entrepreneur Neri Naig. Naig was detained in Pasay City over alleged violations of the same SEC regulation.
Abunda called on the entertainment industry to treat the case as a significant lesson, urging a re-examination of the relationship between endorsers and the businesses they promote.
