Burden to abandon raps if some CCTC members are fired

CEBU, Philippines - The mother of Miss Cebu 2009 2nd runner-up Kimberly Therese Burden yesterday said she may no longer be interested in pursuing a case in court against some Cebu City officials if Philipp Rodriguez and some personnel of the Cebu City Tourism Commission will be terminated from their posts.

Dr. Rowena Burden yesterday appeared during the weekly gathering of the members of the Sugboanong mga Kumentaristang Nagpakabana (Sukna), and said that she wants action to be taken against Rodriguez because he was the chairman of the Miss Cebu 2009 beauty pageant.

The elder Burden earlier said that she had already instructed their legal counsel to gather the needed documents for the filing of criminal and administrative charges against some city officials, particularly some members of the CCTC.

Kim also showed up during the event and said she was disturbed by not being proclaimed as the Globe Texter’s Choice Award during the beauty pageant.

“I was really bothered and was not able to concentrate on my studies,” the 19-year-old Physical Therapy student said.

Her mother said she is hoping that Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña, who is scheduled to arrive in Cebu City on March 10, will help put the issue to rest by imposing drastic action against those people who are responsible for the wrong proclamation of the texter’s choice winner.

While Burden got the highest number of votes, it was Kris Tiffany Janson who was announced as the winner of the texter’s choice award. Janson also went on to win the competition.

The CCTC now headed by acting vice mayor Hilario Davide III had already assured that they will no longer allow Bruce Bollozos to participate in any beauty pageant after he gave the wrong information about the texter’s choice winner.

The Burden family has rejected the offer of city administrator Francisco Fernandez to hold another proclamation declaring Kim as the real winner of the texter’s choice award. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)