Itinanghal na Mister International 2023 si Jose Calle ng Spain sa ginanap na Mister International 2023 grand coronation night, sa Baguio Country Club, nitong October 20, 2023.
First runner-up ang pambato ng Pilipinas na si Austin Cabatana, at second runner-up si Tamichael Watson ng Jamaica.
Third runner-up si Angel Olaya ng Argentina at fourth runner-up si Abdul Rahman Lee ng Malaysia.
Naglaban-laban ang 26 candidates sa nasabing edition na ito ng Mister International.
Read: Missing Miss Grand PH 2023 candidate still alive — police
L-R: Third runner-up Angel Olaya (Argentina); first runner-up Austin Cabatana (Philippines); Mister International 2023 Jose Calle (Spain); Tamichael Watson (Jamaica); and Abdul Rahman Lee (Malaysia)
MISTER INTERNATIONAL 2023 EDITION IN THAILAND
Pero hindi ito ang nag-iisang Mister International pageant na ginanap ngayong taon.
Noong September 17, 2023 ay ginanap ang Mister International 2023 sa Bangkok, Thailand.
Si Kim Thitisan Goodburn ng Thailand ang nag-uwi ng korona mula sa 37 candidates.
First runner-up rito si William Badell ng Venezuela at second runner-up si Edward Ogunniya ng Brazil.
L-R: Second runner-up Edward Ogunniya (Brazil); Mister International Kim Thitisan Goodburn (Thailand); and first runner-up rito si William Badell (Venezuela)
Si Jefferson Bunney ng Pilipinas ay nakapasok naman sa Top 10.
Pero bakit may dalawang versions ng Mister International at alin sa dalawa ang lehitimo?
A CASE OF TWO MISTER INTERNATIONAL PAGEANTS
Ipinaliwanag ni Rafa Delfin, isang pageant vlogger, kung paano nangyaring may dalawang editions ng Mister International pageant.
Sa kanyang vlog noong February 2023, sinabi ni Rafa na ang Mister International pageant ay sinimulan ng founder nitong si Alan Sim noong 2006.
Nang pumanaw si Alan noong October 2022, nagsimula ang sigalot sa ownership ng Mister International.
Ang ownership ay pinagtalunan ng Thai businessman na si Pradit Pradinunt, CEO ng Mister Global, at ng Pilipinong si Manuel Deldio, director ng Mister International Philippines.
Sabi ni Rafa, “Manuel claimed that Allan appointed him as the heir of Mister International.”
Pinuna ni Rafa ang ginawa ni Manuel sa Mister International edition noong 2022 na tinawag niyang “pathetic, horrible, poor quality, very low sponsorship.”
Si Pradit naman daw ay kilala sa pag-i-stage ng magagandang production.
Sinabi rin niyang pumapanig kay Pradit ang licensees ng Mister International sa ibang bansa.
Katuwiran pa ni Rafa, “My point is both parties have to publish proof of their legal claim.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=589rEaIqIqk&t=12s
MANUEL’S SIDE
Noong Augosto 2023 naman ay naglabas ng video si Manuel Deldio para sagutin ang mga isyung ipinupukol sa kanya, isa na rito ang ownership sa Mister International pageant.
Inamin ni Manuel na sinusuportahan ng big media outlets ang Thailand production ng Mister International.
Saad niya, “Support all you want but big medias cannot confer ownership.
“Ownership can only be determined by courts of law, not by big medias.”
Pinuna rin ni Manuel ang malalaking media organizations na aniya'y nag-aastang “gods” pagdating sa pageantry.
“But it’s time for us, for the pageant fans to understand that there are sets of law that governs our actions, such as issue of ownership.
“Mister International issue is an issue of ownership and the issue of ownership can only be determined by court of law, no one has the right to say otherwise unless it is the court.”
Hindi itinanggi ni Manuel na may pinagdadaanan ang kanilang organisasyon, subalit desidido raw siya sa kanyang kinakatuwirang siya ang owner ngayon ng Mister International.
POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Noong September 26, 2023, may post ang official account ng Mister International ni Pradit na nagsasabing dinismis ng Thai Criminal court ang reklamo ni Manuel.
Bahagi ng post, “The Thai Criminal Court has dismissed the case brought forward by Manuel Deldio from the Philippines, thereby affirming Pradit Pradinunt as the rightful owner of the esteemed Mister International organization.”
Pagpapatuloy pa nito ukol sa hearing noong September 25, “The court convened, but Manuel Deldio was conspicuously absent. Only his lawyer appeared, requesting another postponement, citing a lack of readiness.
“The court, adhering to the prior agreement that both sides must present evidence that day, denied the request."
Sa pareho ring araw, nag-post ang kampo ni Manuel ukol sa development na ito.
Nagbigay siya ng paglilinaw: ang kasong tinutukoy ay ang isinampa niyang "violation of computer crime against Pradinunt" at hindi pa ang ownership case.
Mababasa sa statement ni Manuel na hindi nga siya nakadalo sa korte sa Thailand dahil sa prior commitment, pero naroon ang kanyang abogado.
Paliwanag ni Manuel, "Under the Thai Criminal Procedure, the Judge has the right either to grant the postponement or dismiss the case for non appearance."
Dinismiss daw ang kaso "because I failed to appear and not because we do not have evidence."
Natuloy nga ang Mister International pageant sa Baguio nitong Biyernes, at itutuloy raw ni Manuel ang kaso para makuha ang ownership sa pageant.