NEWSFLASH 

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SHARON DRAGGED INTO ANOTHER CONDO MESS

Pasay City, Feb. 21, 2000 - The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement will inspect a Pasay condominium complex which uses the picture and signature of megastar Sharon Cuneta to entice buyers.

Senator Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the committee, acted on complaints by victims who were misled by real estate developer Emilio Ching, into buying a unit at the Balagtas Royal Mansion condominium by misusing the credibility of the famous actress-singer.

Ching is reportedly a godfather of Sharon and a long-time associate of her father, Pasay City Mayor Pablo Cuneta. Among those who sought the assistance of Biazon were Dr. Iris Rafanan, Felicitas Goo, Yahng Li, Risto Koivula and Cristina Johnson.

After they had purchased their condo units, the victims said they discovered the absence of electric meters on which to base their electrical consumption, and other construction defects, such as water seeping in/overflowing from the windows, walls and ceilings, cracks on ceilings, beams, bathrooms and plumbing fixtures, defective flooring and window glasses and damaged wallpaper.

They also complained about building code safety violations like the fire exit, which ends only at the third floor and does not go all the way down to the ground level.

They were also charged steep condominium association dues despite the inconveniences and constgruction shortcomings, and were made to wait for the delivery of commitments like already paid-for parking slots.

The victims told Biazon that Ching had refused to talk to them to discuss their complaints.

According to the victims, they were enticed to buy units from Ching because of the picture and signature of Sharon which appeared in the developer’s leaflets and other promotional materials.

However, former Quezon City Councilor Francis Pangilinan, who acted as the megastar’s counsel, explained before the Pasay Prosecutor’s Office that Ching is no longer authorized to use promotional materials bearing the name or signature of his wife as she had withdrawn her shares from the business venture.

Sharon’s name was likewise misused in another condominium project in Makati, which was the subject of similar complaints by unit buyers misled into believing that the actress-singer owned the building.

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