Vape Shop Owners Seek Tulfo’s Help Against Mika Salamanca and Her Business Partner
MIKA SALAMANCA – The influencer and her business partner, Paul Jefferson Vivas, are facing complaints from multiple vape shop owners after allegedly failing to deliver pre-ordered vape products. Mika, the Chief Operating Officer of Flare vape brand, and Paul, President of Apex Pacific Corp., reportedly hosted grand product launch events, persuading business owners to invest in their vape products.
According to the complainants, they were shown SEC registration documents for Apex Pacific Corp. and assured that the business was legitimate. Encouraged by these presentations, they placed large pre-orders in 2023. Anthony Garcia paid ₱366,000, while Angelica Ambos provided a ₱106,000 down payment for shipments. However, they have yet to receive their orders or a refund and can no longer contact Mika or Paul.
Hoping to recover their money, the complainants initially refrained from filing legal charges. However, after repeated failed attempts to reach the company, they sought help from Raffy Tulfo in Action (RTIA). In response, Senator Raffy Tulfo contacted Atty. Marcus Valdez of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to investigate Apex Pacific Corp.’s legal status.
The inquiry revealed that while Apex Pacific Corp. is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it lacks the necessary Philippine Standard (PS) License to legally sell its products. Additionally, the company’s vape products are not certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), raising serious health concerns.
Upon learning this, Senator Tulfo questioned the FDA, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Customs, and DTI, suspecting possible corruption that might be favoring certain vape brands. He announced plans to deliver a privilege speech in the Senate, calling for an immediate hearing to investigate both Apex Pacific Corp. and any government officials potentially involved in regulatory lapses.
As a follow-up, Senator Tulfo instructed Atty. Valdez to provide a list of all approved and rejected vape brands, a directive that the DTI official promptly agreed to comply with.
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