Scammed couple to get free reception, skin care

INDEED the sun always shines after a storm.

This, as the couple scammed by a wedding coordinator has been offered a free wedding reception by restaurant-owner Neri Naig-Miranda and a full bride and groom skincare package from Skin 911.

A video of the bride, Cherry Pie Purisima, crying went viral after finding out that Naser Fuentes, the wedding coordinator, had not booked a place for her wedding reception.

Purisima and her fiance Arniel Satingasin tied the knot on September 22, 2021.

In an interview with Superbalita Cebu, Fuentes admitted it was his fault and no one else is to be blamed for the Purisima-Satingasin failed wedding reception but him.

Naig-Miranda, wife of Parokya ni Edgar frontman Chito Miranda, posted on her Facebook account that she will take care of the couple’s wedding reception for free.

She offered to have the reception at her Korean restaurant in Cebu City, Jeju Samgyupsal.

“Having been a bride, myself, what we hate most is being stressed on the day of our wedding. Even all the people around us should not be giving us stress. Whoever knows the bride, please tell her to message me,” Naig-Miranda said in Tagalog.

Saddened by what had happened to the couple’s special day, Skin 911 also offered a full bride and groom skincare package free of charge to the couple.

Michelle Joy Padayhag, marketing communication head of Skin 911 Group Inc. posted on her Facebook account that as a way to support the couple, they will have a day of pampering at Skin911 Facial and Slimming Centre.

“This couple deserves a stress-free moment and needs all the pampering they deserve. To anyone who personally knows this couple, please connect me or our team with them,” said Padayhag.

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) in a press conference said Fuentes faces two estafa cases filed in 2013 and 2019.

The wedding coordinator also had an estafa case that was provisionally dismissed, according to Lt. Col. Eloveo Marquez, deputy Mandaue City Police Director for operations.

All the cases reportedly involved his work as a wedding coordinator.

Fuentes is detained at the Basak Police Station after a bench warrant released in 2017 was served on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. The warrant stemmed from his 2013 estafa case.

Marquez said the arrest was made after the video went viral and the MCPO received inquiries regarding Fuentes.

Out of curiosity, Marquez said, they conducted a background check on Fuentes and found out that he had a bench warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 55 in 2017.

Marquez said based on the information gathered by police, a certain Jonilyn Canoy was also allegedly scammed by Fuentes in 2019 after taking away about P8,000 from the money dance and P12,000 for the lechon.

In an interview, Fuentes told Superbalita Cebu that his 2013 estafa case was not related to his career as wedding coordinator.

He claimed to have many successful wedding events and that satisfied clients personally messaged him to ask how this could have happened.

Fuentes said he already contacted Purisima and Satingasin and all other parties involved to apologize for his failure.

Fuentes said they agreed to make a settlement.