Osmeña wants end to Miss Cebu scandal

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor on-leave Tomas Osmeña yesterday asked the city officials to give closure on the issue over the mix up in the Miss Cebu 2009 and spend more time in serving the people rather than discussing the issue.

While he welcomed the plan of the family of 2nd runner-up winner Kimberly Therese Burden to file charges against some members of the Cebu City Tourism Commission, the mayor said there are still a lot of problems in the city that the city councilors have to address.

“I just think that the city councilors should now spend more time serving the people, instead of this one side issue of a beauty contest. Don’t they have anything else to do?” said Osmeña, who is still in Houston, Texas where he is undergoing treatment of the cancer in his urinary bladder.

The on-leave mayor said the urban poor in the city have more pressing concerns, especially the dengue problem that he considers more important than a text contest.

“Let the Globe Telecom officials handle their own gimmick and problems,” Osmeña said in a text message sent to The FREEMAN.

He said he has also nothing against the plan of Kimberly’s mother, Dr. Rowena Burden, to file a complaint against CCTC officials, who are directly involved in the erroneous proclamation of the winner of the Globe Texter’s Choice Award during the pageant, saying, “Naa’y demokrasya sa atong gobyerno. Anybody can file a case whatever they want.”

In a separate interview, city administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez yesterday assured that the rightful price will be handed over to Kimberley, adding he has already ordered an all out investigation into who really is at fault in order to put things to rest. “Let us see who really is at fault and then let’s sit down and talk,” he added.

Fernandez said the investigation will give priority to the whereabouts of the Globe Platinum Plan inclusive of the Samsung Omnia unit which was announced during the pageant night.

Reports however said that Kimberly is set to receive a Nokia 7210 Supernova once she accepts the award.

A Samsung Omnia is worth P30,000 in the market while a Nokia 7210 is barely P15,000 but her family has allegedly decided not to accept the award and the price.

“But the question there is not whether she will accept the award or not, nakasala man ta we have to make amends. Where is the price? If the donor had backed out then the city will take care of that… kun naa pa’y mas labaw, palabwan pa nato kun mahimo,” Fernandez said.

Sybneth Orillano of the Cebu City Tourism Commission said the Samsung Omnia and the Platinum was handed over to the default winner Kris Tiffany Janson by Globe official Jerry Yntig after the announcement of the winner.

“But after that, question and answer na. So iya (Janson) sad gitunol balik sa staff and now wala ta kahibalo if asa na,” Orillano said.

On the other hand, acting mayor Michael Rama said he is happy that Burdens are taking a step forward to seek the remedies of the court.

“Now I am happy if the direction is going to court, let it be so, so that whatever are being heard and whatever are also being hit or being accused and ashamed, they can properly also present them. It might even include me because I have seen things like whatsoever,” Rama said.

Dr. Rowena Burden, mother of Kimberly, said that lawyer Alfredo Sipalay is now studying the possibility of including Rama in the charges for being the chairman of the CCTC. — Rene U. Borromeo and Ferliza C. Contratista/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)