Pageant contestants accuse Advincula
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Wed, 08 May 2019 09:05:44 +0000
RIBAYA
Peter Joemel Advincula has gone out of hiding to claim he’s “Bikoy” in the series of controversial videos linking President Duterte’s relatives and close allies to the illegal drugs trade.
But for those who took part in a beauty pageant last year in Bicol, Advincula is the man who allegedly took away their money.
Angela Christine Estrada Ribaya came out in the open to accuse Advincula of pocketing all the money the contestants collected as well as the prizes meant for them.
Ribaya said Advincula lured a small perfume company in organizing a beauty contest last August.
Initially, 50 contestants registered, but most of them backed out after learning that the contest involved selling tickets and perfume products, according to Ribaya. Out of the original 50, only 15 remained.
“My handler learned about the event from a friend. It so happened that I was in Bicol so we joined. Initially, there were around 50 contestants wanting to participate, but most of them backed out after learning that it was a money contest – that we have to sell,” she said in Filipino. “We were required to sell tickets with perfumes and soaps.”
Ribaya said tickets were sold for P500, P700, and P1,000. Ticket buyers also got the products.
She said they remitted the money to Advincula.
The coronation night of what was billed as “Miss Scenti Essentia Crown Ambassadress” was held on Aug. 11, 2018 at the Bicol University Polangui campus gymnasium.
Ribaya said the school had nothing to do with the contest since Advincula rented the venue.
Towards the end of the show, Advincula vanished, triggering a commotion. “We were all so anxious when they said that ‘PJ’ (Advincula’s nickname) was missing. We remitted all the money to him,” she said.
“My fellow candidates and I were very disappointed. All our hard work came to waste. The feeling was so traumatic, because some of us even sold around P15,000 worth of tickets,” she recalled.
Another pageant contestant, who asked not to be named, said that Advincula was a very smooth-talker. “Mabulaklak magsalita ‘yang si PJ. Lahat talaga madadala niyan sa salita kasi magaling siya makipagusap sa tao kaya madali nya makukuha,” she said.
Fortunately, the perfume company reimbursed their prizes, according to Ribaya.
The brouhaha was posted on social media and the contestants learned that Advincula also did not pay his own staff. “We were asking his staff, we were even mad at them, but we learned that they were also victimized like them,” Ribaya said.
Ribaya said they filed a complaint with the police, but was uncertain if charges were filed in court. (Jel Santos)