Kinontra ng Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) ang akusasyon ni Bb. Pilipinas Grand International 2019 Samantha Ashley Lo na nagkulang ang local beauty pageant organizer sa pagtulong sa kanya nang ma-detain siya sa Paris airport kamakailan.
Itinanggi rin ng BPCI na hindi nila binigyan ng "proper transit visa" si Samantha na naging dahilan para magkaaberya ang kanyang biyahe.
Nitong Sabado, October 19, ibinalita ni Samantha, sa pamamagitan ng Instagram, na nakarating na siya sa Caracas, Venezuela, para sa Miss Grand International 2019 pageant na magaganap sa October 25.
Ito ay matapos ang pagkaka-detain niya sa Paris airport dahil sa napag-alamang peke umano ang passport na hawak niya.
Bahagi ng pahayag ni Samantha: "[M]y local organizer, who handled my travel preparations, failed to equip me with the proper transit visa that may have enabled me to complete my earlier trip to this host country.
"Moreso, it wasn’t them who got me out of detention and put me safely on that plane to come back home. It was my family and other well-meaning Filipinos who did — and they are still not resting until this is over.
"And when this is all over, I hope to bring home the crown and glory to the Philippines and our people."
BPCI DENIES SAMANTHA’S CLAIMs
Ngayong Lunes, October 21, nagpadala ang BPCI ng kanilang official statement sa PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) bilang reaksiyon sa pahayag ni Samantha.
Ayon sa BPCI, alam nila ang problemang dinanas ni Samantha sa Paris airport.
Sabi ng organisasyon, na-detain ng immigration officials sa Paris airport ang Pinay beauty queen at pinabalik sa Pilipinas “due to issues with her Philippine passport.”
Noong Biyernes, October 18, lumabas sa mga online news outlet ang statement ng DFA.
Ayon sa government agency: “Based on an ongoing investigation, the DFA confirms that Ms. Lo has no record in the DFA passport database and is continuing the process of ascertaining the facts of the case.”
Kinumpirma ito ng BPCI sa kanilang official statement: “The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officially stated that Ms. Lo’s Philippine passport had been ‘tampered with and altered.’
“During a meeting last week with Samantha, he parents and officials from the DFA and BPCI, it was admitted by Ms. Lo’s parents, that she secured her passport through a ‘fixer.’”
Ayon sa BPCI, wala ring katotohanan ang paratang ni Samantha na hindi siya binigyan ng "proper transit visa" at hindi siya tinulungang makabalik ng Pilipinas.
Sa statement ng BPCI, sinabi nitong nakipag-ugnayan sila agad sa DFA nang malaman nilang na-detain si Samantha sa Paris airport.
“It is also not true that BPCI did nothing to assist her.
"Upon hearing of her situation in Paris, we immediately called upon DFA to assist her, and they did.
"We are grateful for the intervention of Undersecretary Dulay, which otherwise would have resulted in very serious consequences for Samantha.”
Ang DFA Undersecretary ay si Brigido Dulay.
Sinikap daw ng BPCI na tulungan si Samantha sa kinaharap nitong problema sa kanyang pasaporte, subalit hindi na raw nila ito ma-contact.
“We wanted to support Samantha and help her resolve this.
"However, in the last few days, we were no longer able to contact her or her family.”
Nais daw sanang manahimik ng BPCI hinggil sa kinakaharap na isyu ni Samantha, subalit napilitan daw silang maglabas ng statement dahil sa akusasyon ng dalaga na ipinost nito via Instagram.
“We had chosen not to make any statements in deference to an ongoing investigation into the matter and to protect Sam’s privacy after revelations of a fake passport had put her in this situation.
"However, due to her social media post, BPCI is forced to make a statement to ensure that only facts are presented, nothing else.”
Diin pa ng BPCI, sa limang dekadang pagpapadala nila ng mga kinatawan ng Pilipinas sa international pageants, tinitiyak nilang sumusunod sila sa protocol ng mga host country ng pageants.
Narito ang kabuuang official statement ng BPCI:
