Advertiser files P37-million raps vs ex-GMA 7 executive, 5 others

MANILA, Philippines - A former GMA Network official and five others are facing 58 counts of syndicated estafa before the Quezon City prosecutors’ office for allegedly defrauding an advertiser.

Corazon Guison, a former GMA executive, and five officials of television marketing arm Silver Trumpets & Co. are accused of receiving unauthorized commissions worth P37 million from an advertiser.

In her complaint, Herbs and Nature Corp. president Carolina Villegas said Guison, Noemi Cortez-Peji, Michaela Cortez, Angelito Pangilinan, Ma. Luz Pangilinan and Ma. Brenda Celiz reportedly conspired to “induce and sweet talk” her into coursing HNC’s ads through Silver Trumpets to help Guison lessen her tax liabilities.

The unauthorized commissions from GMA Network were allegedly granted from January 2007 to April 2009, she added.

Villegas said her company earlier dealt with Guison as the latter was GMA’s authorized representative.

Guison told her HNC’s account with GMA was a direct account and that there was no agency or broker’s commission involved in booking the ads, she added.

Villegas said she was assured that the appointment of Silver Trumpets as HNC’s authorized broker or advertising agency, would be for “records and tax purposes only.”

“Guison represented that the appointment had no bearing on the business transaction of HNC with GMA, since she earlier represented that HNC is a direct client of GMA,” read the complaint.

Villegas said Guison allegedly furnished her only with official receipts and certificate of performance only upon demand, not billing invoices.

“Sometime in the early part of March 2010, HNC discovered that contrary to Guison’s representation, she and her co-respondents collected from GMA 15 percent agency/broker’s commission from every ad payment of HNC using the appointment paper signed in favor of Silver Trumpets & Co., Inc,” she said.

Villegas also found out that for every ad payment, Guison – allegedly through Pangilinan – collected the commission, with HNC having to pay a higher fee.

“In effect, HNC was prejudiced by respondents to the extent of the 15-percent of the advertisement fees paid, since such fees should have been 15 percent less of the amount actually paid,” she said.

Villegas said 58 checks from Equitable PCI Bank and Banco de Oro worth a total of P37,777,550.49 should have been deducted from HNC’s ad payments to GMA.

During a meeting last March, Guison allegedly “confessed and admitted that she used the appointment papers of the agency to get their commissions.”

Guison proposed to return the 15-percent commission for the 2009 payments within 30 years, at which she expressed shock, Villegas said.