Neri Miranda claims she wasn’t informed about SRC violation, estafa cases filed vs. her beforehand
Neri Miranda said she wasn’t informed beforehand about the charges in connection to securities regulation code violation and syndicated estafa that she's currently facing.
In a statement sent to PhilSTAR L!fe, the actress and businesswoman’s lawyer, Atty. Aureli Sinsuat, began by noting that they can’t comment about the pending cases against their client “in compliance with the sub judice rule.”
He, however, expressed how "unfortunate" it is that Neri "was not informed of the charges against her beforehand, as we would have been able to properly explain her side even before this reached the courts."
Her legal counsel emphasized that the same complaints that were filed against her in other venues have been junked.
“We are confident that Neri will be vindicated of these charges through proper judicial processes,” Sinsuat added.
Neri's lawyer also expressed his appreciation for the “heartfelt support” their client “has received from numerous individuals in the press and on social media" since her arrest.
SEC Director Filbert Catalino Flores III, a Securities and Exchange Commission official, told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo Serbisyo that Neri's alleged estafa and violation of the Securities Regulation Code stemmed from her endorsement urging dozens of individuals to invest hundreds of thousands of pesos in a skincare company.
Neri's arrest
Reports about Neri's arrest began with showbiz insider Ogie Diaz talking about it on the Nov. 24 episode of his YouTube channel.
On the evening of Nov. 26, the Southern Police District (SPD) wrote a Facebook post announcing that a manhunt operation, led by the Pasay City Police in coordination with the Warrant and Subpoena Section, resulted in the arrest of a 41-year-old actress and businesswoman. They said the woman, who was initially identified as "Neri" at 7:33 p.m. but was changed to "Erin" at 8:06 p.m., was arrested at a basement convention center in Pasay City on Nov. 23 at 2:50 p.m. According to them, she's listed as Rank No. 7, or the seventh most wanted person, for November 2024.
In an ABS-CBN News report, authorities confirmed that a certain "Nerizza Miranda" was transferred to Pasay City Jail's female dormitory at around 12:02 p.m. on the day of her arrest. (Neri was born Nerizza Garcia Naig, and tied the knot with Parokya ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda in December 2014.)
Chito wrote an Instagram post for her on Nov. 27, asserting that his wife didn't swindle anybody and that she's so helpful to other people, even if it can be harmful to her and her kindness gets abused at times. Chito explained that she's an endorser whose face was used to attract investors, but victims sued her.
Police told GMA's 24 Oras that Neri has posted bail for her securities regulations code violations. With 14 counts set at P126,000 each, her bail amounted to P1.764 million, though she remains behind bars because of her syndicated estafa case.
GMA News reported that Neri went to the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 111 on Nov. 28 for her arraignment. It was, however, moved to Jan. 9, 2025. A court staff said the arraignment was moved after Neri's camp filed a motion to quash, which requests the court to invalidate a previous proceeding like a subpoena, arrest warrant, or legal complaint.
