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Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Pageant judges haul organizer to court over result
By Jay Dooma Balnig
THE judges of the recently concluded Search for Mr. and Ms High School 2006 of the Central Philippine University (CPU) are now preparing to sue the organizers after the latter refused to recognize the official winner and the judges' choice.
Interior Designer Edgardo Suelo, chief judge and Mia Fe Lopez and Wilna Habaradas-Dolar, co-judges, sent a letter to CPU Development High School Principal Nelson Pomado expressing their disappointment over the pageant's outcome.
The controversy stemmed from the alleged anomaly on the result of the pageant held last August 17.
The abovementioned three judges want the committee to announce contestant no. 6, Jesus Angelo Martinez as the real winner.
Prior to the announcement of winner, the judges noted that what was indicated in the tabulation was not their actual choice.
Suelo added that after they were done with the scoring, the committee immediately tabulated the scores of six contestants. They found out that the winner indicated there was contestant no. 4, and not 6.
Upon discovering this, Suelo consulted with his fellow judges and they validated the scores.
After checking, they complained that the judges' individual choice for Mr. H.S. 2006 is contestant no. 6 except for Golez, whose score in the tabulation, he could not recall.
Suelo demanded for a copy of the score sheets but the committee refused to furnish this to them.
Thus the judges convened and decided to come out with a new and unanimous decision of making Martinez as Mr. H.S. 2006, contestant no. 4 as first runner up and contestant no. 3 as second runner up.
All of the five judges agreed and indicated their signature on the final decision.
But during the announcement, Steering Committee Chairperson Jovi Joy Guatelara and member Annalee Laquesta, did not recognize the judges' final decision. Rather, they announced the winner based on the tabulation, contestant no. 4.
Suelo also noticed while the judges are in the process of validating the scores, the committee was already announcing the result of the special awards without the former's signatures.
"As a rule, the decision of judges is final. But in this case, the committee made the decision," Suelo said.
Suelo walked out signifying his protest because he felt insulted by the committee.
Suelo, through counsel Ronnie Delicana of Alcantara Law Office, sent a demand letter dated August 25 to Pomado demanding for the declaration of Martinez as winner of Mr. H.S. 2006; let Guatelara and Laquesta make a public apology; give Martinez trophy, sash and other prizes as official Mr. High School 2006; and that all should be done at Rose Memorial Hall of CPU not later than 5 p.m. of August 28.
But the school did not act on the demand.
Suelo added that as a Centralian, he believed that what transpired during the pageant was a complete defiance of the school's aim of promoting Christian values and honesty.
Suelo is now preparing to file damages and other charges against those involved in what he considers as "anomalous and manipulation of the pageant result."
(August 30, 2006 issue)
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