Comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto voluntarily surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday, following the issuance of an arrest warrant by a Pasay court.
According to a report from Balitanghali, Quinto, arriving in the Philippines from San Francisco with her family, landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 shortly after 5 a.m. NBI Chief Jimmy De Leon confirmed that Quinto’s lawyer had coordinated with the agency for her voluntary surrender.
Quinto is facing 14 counts of violating Section 8 of the Securities Regulation Code, which prohibits the sale of securities such as shares and investments in the Philippines without the proper registration and approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Her legal counsel, Atty. Mary Louise Reyes, clarified that Quinto is not involved in any large-scale estafa cases but is being charged in connection with her role as a brand ambassador for Dermacare.
“She will face those charges… she’s worried because the allegations aren’t true. My client is just a brand ambassador, a model-endorser,” Reyes stated. “She didn’t even make a downpayment, and the checks issued in relation to this case have all bounced. We have the evidence, and we’ll present it in court.”
In the same report, Atty. Reyes stressed that Quinto’s involvement was limited to promotional work, and she had no financial stake in the company’s operations. The case stems from Dermacare, the company implicated in similar legal issues involving actress-entrepreneur Neri Naig.
In September 2023, the SEC issued an advisory cautioning the public that Dermacare-Beyond Skin Care Solutions was operating without the necessary licenses to solicit investments. The advisory further stated that individuals associated with the company, including salesmen, brokers, dealers, agents, promoters, influencers, and endorsers, could face legal action.
Following her surrender, Quinto underwent a medico-legal examination before being brought to the Pasay court to address the charges. Her legal team plans to post bail on her behalf.
