Mass for impartiality in Miss Cebu probe

Cebu - Students and alumni of the Cebu City National Science High School will lead a “mass for truth” on January 30 to pray for impartiality on the city-government initiated probe into the Globe Texter’s Choice controversy in this year’s Miss Cebu pageant.

The mass for truth is being spearheaded by the 1981 batch of CCNHS, the batch of Dr. Rowena Burden, mother of Miss Cebu second runner-up Kimberly Therese Burden. Kimberly herself belongs to batch 2006.

The mass will be held 7pm at the Santo Rosario Parish Church along P. del Rosario Street.

Kimberly’s family has cried foul over the error in the announcement of the Globe Texter’s Choice during the Miss Cebu 2009 pageant night on January 14.

It was announced at first that Miss Cebu eventual winner Kris Tiffany Janson was Globe Texter’s Choice. It turned out later that Kimberly had 21,967 votes more than Janson but no explanation was made during the pageant itself.

CCNHS hopes that the investigating committee “would leave no stone unturned and have the political will to ferret out the truth, acknowledge the issue, and let it be known.”

The city is initiating the investigation to erase doubts on the integrity of the Cebu City Tourism Commission and preserve the prestige of the Miss Cebu search.

Kimberly recently decided to surrender the crown as second runner-up but project chairman Philip Rodriguez said CCTC will not honor the pullout unless it is put in writing. – Jessica Ann R. Pareja/JMO (THE FREEMAN)