Sanctions uncertain against Ms. Cebu chair, staff

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City administrator Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez did not assure yet the family of Miss Cebu 2009 second runner-up winner Kimberly Therese Burden that their appeal on the imposition of proper sanctions against some members of the Cebu City Tourism Commission would be granted.

Fernandez yesterday met with Kim’s mother, Dr. Rowena Burden and aunt, Marilou Burden, with the family’s legal counsel, Alfredo Sipalay.

The meeting which lasted for around two hours, held at the residence of the Burdens in barangay Lahug, was described by Fernandez and Dr. Burden as “very fruitful”, although there was no assurance made that the controversial issue will already be put to rest.

“Ang tanan namong naistoryahan akong ipadangat ngadto sa mga hingtungdan sa pamasin nga makatabang ni nga masulbad ug mahunong na ning isyu nga makadaot sa kredibilidad sa Cebu City,” the city administrator said.

Dr. Burden, however, said they have insisted that the city officials should give justice to her daughter by imposing sanctions to the members of the commission who are responsible for the controversy.

The Burden family wishes for proper sanctions to be imposed against Philip Rodriguez, one of the commissioners of the CCTC who acted as the chairman of the Miss Cebu 2009 beauty pageant, and against Cynbeth Arellano, the head of the Secretariat. 

However, it is believed that the 13-member tourism commission might not give in to the demand of the Burdens to have Rodriguez kicked out of the CCTC as the latter is active in invigorating tourism activities here despite not getting any centavo, in return, from the city government.

Acting Vice Mayor Hilario Davide III, CCTC chairman, said that the issue will be discussed by the commissioners during their meeting this evening.

“Kun duna pay laing mamatud-ang sad-an maayong iapil. Kadto hinoon si Bruce Bollozos (pageant production manager), aw miingon na man sila nga dili na g’yod paapilon sa mga umaabot nga beauty contest,” Dr. Burden said.

It was Bollozos who informed some members of the CCTC that candidate Kris Tiffany Janson, who was crowned Miss Cebu 2009, won the Globe Texters Choice Award.

These members in turn told the emcee of the event of the “result”, although he later admitted that it was indeed Kim who garnered the highest number of text votes.

Kim, a physical therapy student of the Cebu Doctors University, garnered 117,959 text votes as against Janson’s 95,000 votes. — Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)