Wednesday, May 28, 2008 ABS-CBN backs Korina's report on glutathione
AMID looming libel suit, ABS-CBN Channel 2 defended news anchor Korina Sanchez and her investigative report unveiling some glutathione product manufacturers of deceiving consumers on the actual whitening content of their pills.
According to Korina's special report, which was aired on "The World Tonight", "ANC" (ABS-CBN News Channel), "Bandila" and "TV Patrol", among the 10 glutathione products tested by the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry (Pipac), which is an accredited laboratory of Bureau of Food and Drugs (Bfad), only one is telling the truth.
Korina named Vaniderm and Lucida DS as two products that failed to pass the laboratory test by Pipac, saying both pills contain only 5.4 milligram (mg) and 4.4 mg content of glutathione, respectively, instead of 500 mg which said products claim on their labels.
Thus, United Shelter Health Products, makers of Lucida-DS Glutathione, threatened to file a libel suit against the veteran newscaster.
Maribel Galindez, senior vice president of United Shelter Health Products and distributor of Lucida DS in the Philippines, said the case will be filed in various places like Iloilo, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Iligan, Koronadal, Zamboanga and even in the US, Malaysia and Dubai where the product is also distributed.
In a statement issued by the ABS-CBN news management last Tuesday, they said they are not beleaguered by the threat of the United Shelter Health Products for a lawsuit.
The network's Corporate Communications head, Bong Osorio, stated: "ABS-CBN News stands by the investigative report of Chief Correspondent and News Anchor Korina Sanchez."
"Our duty is to report the facts. And the fact is that seven out of nine skin whitening products being sold in the market today failed the thorough and independent lab test conducted by the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry (Pipac), a Bfad accredited laboratory based at the Ateneo de Manila University campus," he said.
"In the interest of consumer welfare, ABS-CBN News disclosed the names of all the products tested and the full results of the test," added Osorio.
Lucida DS is being endorsed by actor Gabby Concepcion and Senator Loren Legarda while Vaniderm, on the other hand, is being endorsed by actress-TV host Toni Gonzaga and sexy actress Maui Taylor. (JRDB/Sunnex)
