The legal controversy surrounding Dermacare has taken a new turn following reports that businesswoman Chanda Atienza was arrested in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Beauty queen and social media personality Lars Pacheco said Atienza and her sister, Vilma, were taken into custody at Pavilion Mall on Aug. 21 in an operation involving Malaysian authorities.
The reported arrest comes more than two years after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began taking action against Beyond Skin Care Ventures Incorporated, the company behind Dermacare.
Philippine authorities had yet to release complete official information on the reported arrest as of publication, including details on Atienza’s status in Malaysia and the legal process that may follow.
Beyond Skin Care Ventures operated Dermacare beauty clinics and later came under scrutiny over investment arrangements offered to the public.
In September 2023, the SEC’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department issued an advisory saying the company had been offering a “Franchise Partner Agreement” without the registration or license required to solicit investments from the public.
The regulator later revoked the company’s corporate registration in November 2023 and pursued complaints against Atienza and other officers.
The controversy eventually drew in several personalities who had been associated with Dermacare.
Actress and entrepreneur Neri Naig was arrested in November 2024 over charges linked to the company. Her husband, Parokya ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda, publicly defended her following the arrest.
“Wala siyang kinuhang pera sa ibang tao,” Miranda said. “Lahat ng pera nila na kay Chanda.”
Actress-comedian Rufa Mae Quinto also faced charges connected to Dermacare and later voluntarily surrendered to authorities. She maintained that she was also a victim and that her involvement with the company was limited to endorsement work.
The cases against Naig and Quinto were dismissed by the courts in 2025.
Attention now shifts back to Atienza and the pending cases involving her.
If the reported arrest is officially confirmed, authorities will still have to clarify what legal mechanism may be used should proceedings require her return to the Philippines.
Atienza has not been found guilty of the allegations against her. Any determination of criminal liability will be made by the courts, and she remains presumed innocent unless proven otherwise.