City to probe controversy in Miss Cebu 2009 pageant

CEBU - The Cebu City government will conduct an inquiry into the controversy that rocked the recent Miss Cebu pageant.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that he already discussed the matter with Acting Vice Mayor Hilario Davide III, who is now going to sit as the chairman of the Cebu City Tourism Commission.

“It is our hope that this matter will be rectified as we are taking steps to look into this,” Rama said.

He added, “it is our wish as well that this matter will be addressed by truth, sincerity and most importantly by forgiveness, most especially as we try our best to correspond with Miss Kim (Burden) and her family.”

 It maybe recalled that during the Miss Cebu pageant coronation night last week, it was the name of Miss Cebu 2009 Kris Tiffany Janson was announced as the Globe Texter’s Choice winner where in fact it was Kimberley Therese Burden who really won that award.

Burden, who was crowned second runner-up, renounced her title the other day amidst the controversy.

 The organizers of the pageant in a statement said that it was just an “honest mistake.”

Rama said that it is an unfortunate occurrence that an alleged honest mistake in the recent pageant although the people representing the pageant has no intention of doing it.

“It is however regrettable that Miss Burden has underservingly been aggrieved by that alleged inadvertent mistake,” Rama said.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council passed a resolution during their regular session yesterday congratulating the winners in the said beauty search — Janson (Miss Cebu 2009), Rizzini Alexis Gomez (first runner-up), Burden (second runner-up), Michelle Iva Egula (third runner-up) and Tara Frances Oliver (fourth runner-up).

Sponsored by City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña, the resolution stated that the success of Miss Cebu 2009 with a theme, “ Silver and Beyond” bespeaks well of the concerted efforts and support of concerned government agencies, private and business sectors and the civil society. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)