RAPPER Chris Brown and his promoter were prevented from boarding their private Gulf Stream plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Wednesday, after a concert organizer associated with the Iglesia Ni Cristo filed criminal charges against them for estafa.
Brown—Christopher Maurice in real life—and his promoter, John Michael Pio Roda, were unable to depart for Hong Kong because of a “look out bulletin” issued by the Justice Department upon the request of head legal counsel of the INC and chief operating officer of the promoter Maligaya Development Corp. (MDC), Glicerio P. Santos IV.
which sits at the general aviation area of the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport after the rapper and his promoter were
prevented from leaving for Hong Kong by the Department of
Justice. Rudy C. Santos
The 26-year-old American recording artist along with eight others arrived Tuesday morning on board a private plane for a concert at the Mall of Asia Arena Tuesday night.
Brown and Roda were charged after the rapper failed to attend the New Year’s countdown concert on Dec. 31, 2014 at the INC-owned Philippine Arena, in Bulacan.
MDC said it took action after Brown and Roda had refused to return “substantial amounts of money” that they were paid to perform at the concert.
On the day of the concert, Brown posted on his Twitter account that he would be unable to go to the Philippine Arena because he lost his passport in Los Angeles.
The failure of Brown to show up at the concert caused dismay to the paying fans and humiliation to the company, Santos said in a letter to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, who issued the look out bulletin.
The bulletin means Brown and Roda must obtain clearance from the authorities before leaving the country to ensure that they have no pending obligations.
Roda was engaged by MDC to bring Brown to the Philippines to perform at the Philippine Arena for its New Year’s countdown on Dec. 31, 2014.
MDC is the overall administration and management of Ciudad de Victoria, where the INC’s Philippine Arena is located. – With Rey E. Requejo