Former beauty queen-model and actress Marina Benipayo, the partner of actor Ricardo Cepeda, insisted they are not part of any questionable investment scheme.
This is following Ricardo’s arrest due to charges of alleged syndicated estafa.
The actress on Monday released a video where she said that they do not invest in the investment scheme because they do not have funds for it in the first place.
“Hindi nga kami nag-invest nun kasi hindi kami nag-iinvest, wala kaming pang-invest,” she said on October 9 in relation to Ricardo’s arrest after the company who he was a brand ambassador of “offered an investment scheme.”
“Tsaka hindi po siya signatory, wala po siyang pinirmahan na kahit anong papel dun sa kompanya,” Marina added.
“Ito ngang pagka-brand ambassador niya, verbal nga ‘yan kasi gusto niya tulungan ‘yung tao in the first place,” she continued.
“In our lives, never namin mai-imagine na mangyayari sa amin ito, lalo na kay Ricardo. Napakabait niyang tao. Dami niyang tinutulungan. Ito ngang ginawang nangyari, tinutulungan niya lang din ‘yung kilala niya. Pero, of course, lessons learned,” she added.
The actress also shared that their family is “very low-maintenance.”
“Hindi po kami nagbabakasyon. Road trip nga lang, malaking bagay na samin. We don’t have expensive clothes, you know? We just make the most of what we have,” Marina said.
She appealed for prayers and expressed gratitude to people who have shown support as they deal with the challenging period in their lives.
The actress also appealed to those who do not personally know her partner to refrain from commenting or posting negative things about him.
“Please use your social media power well and responsibly,” Marina said.
Ricardo was arrested last Saturday over alleged syndicated estafa, a non-bailable offense under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Presidential Decree No. 1689.
A law firm defines syndicated estafa as “a form of fraud wherein multiple individuals are deceived by a group or syndicate operating with a common purpose.”
The groups are said to “use false pretenses, misrepresentations, or fraudulent schemes to gain money or property from unsuspecting victims.”
According to Mark and Joshua De Sequera, Ricardo’s stepsons, the actor was only a “brand ambassador” in the company that they said “offered an investment scheme.”
They said that the actor had “no knowledge nor participation of” in the scheme.
“Also, his name appears nowhere on any of the said investment [MOAS] and post-dated checks,” Joshua said in a now-deleted post.
READ: ‘Misinformation!’: Ricardo Cepeda’s stepsons defend actor over syndicated estafa charges
Ricardo is the former husband of veteran actress Snooky Serna, with whom he has two children.
He is now Marina’s long-time partner.
The actor has appeared in some films and television shows like “Doll House,” “Sin Island,” “Felix Manalo,” “My Binondo Girl,” “Ang Dalawang Ikaw,” “Marimar,” “Honesto,” “Mga Lihim ni Urduja” and “Mula Sa Puso.”
