Influencer Mika Salamanca & Business Partner Called Out by Tulfo Over Vape Product Issue
MIKA SALAMANCA – Influencer Mika Salamanca and her business partner have been publicly exposed by Tulfo, following a heated controversy surrounding their vape products.
Several vape shop owners have turned to Raffy Tulfo in Action (RTIA) to file complaints against influencer Mika Salamanca and her business partner, Paul Jefferson Vivas, over undelivered vape products. Salamanca, the Chief Operating Officer of the Flare vape brand, and Vivas, the president of Apex Pacific Corp., allegedly failed to fulfill pre-orders despite receiving significant down payments from customers.
According to the complainants, they were persuaded to pre-order vape products last year after Salamanca and Vivas launched promotional events and press releases. These events showcased documents proving Apex Pacific Corp. was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). However, while the company may be registered, it was later discovered that Apex does not possess the necessary Philippine Standard (PS) License or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certification. Without these approvals, their products are deemed illegal for sale in the market.
Victims of the alleged scam reported paying substantial amounts for their pre-orders. Anthony Garcia stated he paid ₱366,000, while Angelica Ambos disclosed a payment of ₱106,000. However, to this day, they have neither received their vape products nor secured a refund. Additionally, they have been unable to contact Salamanca and Vivas regarding their concerns.
Hoping to recover their money, the victims have not yet filed formal legal cases. However, their complaints prompted Senator Raffy Tulfo to intervene. He immediately contacted Atty. Marcus Valdez of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to investigate Apex Pacific Corp.’s legal standing. The inquiry confirmed that the company lacked the required permits to operate.
In light of these findings, Senator Tulfo has raised concerns about possible collusion between government agencies and select vape distributors. He has questioned the involvement of the FDA, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs, and DTI in allegedly favoring specific brands for financial gain.
To address this issue, Senator Tulfo plans to deliver a privilege speech, calling for a Senate hearing. His goal is to hold both the company’s incorporators and potentially complicit government officials accountable. Additionally, he has directed Atty. Valdez to compile a list of all approved and rejected vape brands in the country, ensuring transparency in the industry.
Watch the video below:
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