Rufa Mae Quinto initially felt sympathy for Dermacare when she learned the company was struggling financially. She thought they were merely victims of bad luck, but her perception changed after discovering the truth behind their financial troubles and the growing number of complaints about the company.
“I felt sorry for them at first. I thought, ‘Poor them, maybe they got swindled.’ But then, I found out they were the ones doing the swindling. It’s them, not the other way around,” Rufa shared during her interview with Tito Boy on “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” last Friday. “So, I realized, it’s really the owners we should be looking for.”
Rufa also reflected on the lesson she learned from the experience, admitting that sometimes being too kind can backfire. “Sometimes, it’s hard to be too nice. People might just take advantage of you,” she said.
In the same interview, Rufa clarified that she had no ongoing involvement with Dermacare, which is currently embroiled in a controversy after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that the company was not registered. She explained that she had been hired as an endorser for a photoshoot and video but was later informed by the company that they would no longer use the materials.
“They told me they were sorry, that they weren’t pushing through with it anymore, and they wouldn’t use my photos or video because they had problems,” Rufa recounted.
Unfortunately, she was never paid for her services, and the checks issued to her by Dermacare bounced. The situation escalated when an arrest warrant was issued against Rufa while she was in the United States, after some investors in the company filed a case against her.
Upon returning to the Philippines, Rufa Mae immediately faced the legal matter. She coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to voluntarily surrender.
Rufa’s bail was set at ₱1.7 million to allow her temporary release while the case is being heard in court.
