Sale for a cause. Colourette Cosmetics announced on their social media account that all of their sales on Lazada and Shopee app’s “Payday Sale” this June 15 will be donated a group that works for the protection, rights, and welfare of political prisoners in the Philippines.
Nina Ellaine Dizon-Cabrera, CEO of Colourette Cosmetics, went through exposing a “COVID-19 vaccination slots for sale” to being criminally charged as one of the suspects of the scheme to having the charges against her withdrawn in a span of three weeks.
On Monday night, Cabrera expressed her thoughts on her recent ordeal that also became a reminder of her own privileges in life.
“I had a legal team who was ready to do whatever it takes to topple the accusations. But it made me think – how about those people who don’t have the same resources as I do?” Cabrera asked.
She said that’s why she’s thankful that there are groups that help people who can’t afford to pay for legal matters.
“How are they able to defend themselves from accusations that, most of the time, haven’t gone through due process? But that’s the thing – most of the time, they aren’t able to defend themselves,” she said.
Colourette Cosmetics is a proudly Filipina-owned and Filipina-run brand specializing in multi-use makeup that are “cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free and discrimination-free” at affordable prices.
On May 21, Cabrera exposed the “vaccine slot for sale” scheme through her Twitter account.
After a few days, her name was included in Philippine National Police list of people who will be charged for violations of the Anti-Red Tape Act (RA 11032) and the Anti-Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175).
She released a statement on June 9, expressing confusion on her being dragged in the scheme when she was the one who exposed the scam.
Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazer relieved the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Eastern Field Unit head, after ordering to review the accusations and then withdraw the cases filed against Cabrera.
Political prisoners’ kin group KAPATID welcomed Cabrera’s initiative.
“Taos-puso ang pasasalamat ng mga bilanggong pulitikal at ng kanilang mga pamilya sa tulong na ito,” said KAPATID in a post on their Facebook page.
[Political prisoners and their families express their sincere thanks for this assistance.]
According to human rights group KARAPATAN, there are more than 700 political prisoners in the Philippines.
