Neri Naig and Chito Miranda. Image: Instagram/@msnerimiranda
Parokya Ni Edgar vocalist Chito Miranda came to his wife Neri Naig’s defense and vouched for her innocence following reports that she was recently arrested for allegedly violating Section 28 of Republic Act No. 8799, also known as the Securities Regulation Code.
Miranda seemingly confirmed earlier reports first broke by showbiz insider Ogie Diaz on his vlog that the actress-businesswoman was arrested by police in Pasay City over the weekend on charges of estafa and several counts of securities violation.
In a lengthy social media post on Wednesday, Nov. 27, Miranda stressed that his wife has always acted with honesty and compassion.
“Praying na ma-sort out na ang lahat ng ito… kawawa naman yung asawa ko. Never nanloko si Neri, at never sya nanlamang sa kapwa. Never siyang kumuha or nanghingi ng pera kahit kanino man. Alam ng lahat yan. Tulong lang sya ng tulong hangga’t kaya nya. Minsan kahit di na nakakabuti sa kanya. Kadalasan nga, naaabuso na sya pero hinahayaan nya nalang, basta wala syang ginawang masama. Pinapa sa Diyos nya na lang,” he began his caption with Naig’s photos doing outreach activities.
(Praying that this will all be sorted out… my poor wife. Neri never fooled anyone, and she never tricked others. She never took or asked for money from anyone. Everyone knows that. She just keeps offering help as much as she can. Sometimes it’s not even good for her. Most of the time, she has been abused but she just lets it go; as long as she doesn’t do anything wrong, she just leave it to God.)
The band leader emphasized that Naig was treated unfairly as he detailed what went down during her recent arrest.
“Tulad ngayon, endorser lang sya tapos ginamit yung face nya to get investors. Kinasuhan sya ng mga nabiktima. Tapos last week, bigla na lang syang inaresto for the same case kahit hindi pa sya binigyan ng notice na may bagong criminal complaint pala laban sa kanya, and di nya na-defend yung sarili nya. Wala syang nareceive na letter from the prosecutor, walang subpoena, walang kahit anong notice. Yung mga dati, nareceive namin nya, at nag comply sya, (alam naman ng lahat na madali kami mahanap sa Alfonso),” he stated.
(Like now, she was just an endorser and then they used her face to get investors. The victims sued her. Then last week, she was suddenly arrested for the same case even though she did not receive a notice that there was a new criminal complaint against her, and she cannot even defend herself. She received no letter from the prosecutor, no subpoena, no notice whatsoever. The previous times, we received it, and she complied, [everyone knows that we are easy to find in Alfonso.])
Neri Naig with Dermacare COO Chanda Atienza. Image from Instagram / @nerigourmettuyo
Hopeful of dismissal
Despite their harrowing experience, Miranda said he’s still hoping that the case against Naig will be dismissed, considering syndicated estafa is a criminal complaint without bail.
He further said that other similar cases against Naig have already been dismissed, and they are hoping this new one will likewise be dismissed.
“Anyway, dinampot na lang sya bigla. Wala siyang kinuhang pera sa ibang tao, lahat ng pera nila na kay Chanda, ang may ari ng Dermacare. Sobrang bait po ni Neri… as in sooobra. Eto yung babaeng kinulong ninyo without bail, habang nakalaya pa yung mga tunay na may kasalanan,” he said.
(Anyway, she was arrested abruptly. (Similar cases elsewhere have been dismissed, and we’re praying that this one will be dismissed as well.) She didn’t take any money from other people; all their money belongs to Chanda, the owner of Dermacare. Neri is very kind… as in sooobra. This is the woman you imprisoned without bail, while the real culprits are still free.)
Miranda appeared to be referring to Chanda Atienza, who was listed in the Securities and Exchange Commission as the chief operating officer of a derm clinic called Dermacare-Beyond Skincare Ventures, Inc., and who was named by the SEC’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department in an advisory for “enticing the public to invest in the said entity under its ‘Franchise Partner Agreement.’
As early as May this year, the SEC said it had already filed a complaint against the company for illegal investment schemes, which counted Atienza as one of the respondents.
INQUIRER.net has tried to seek the reaction of Atienza and Dermacare but they cannot be reached for comment.
Miranda also showed a copy of the letter from Dermacare extending their apologies to Naig for getting involved in the commotion of their business.
After Diaz made the revelation that Naig was arrested, the National Capital Region Police Office—Southern Police District (NCRPO-SPD) confirmed the arrest of an “alias Neri” over complaints for estafa (swindling) and securities violations involving the illegal sale and distribution of securities without registration and approval of the SEC.