CHIZ DEFENDS DETHRONED BEAUTY QUEEN

Embattled beauty queen Venus Raj found another ally in fellow Bicolano Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Escudero, who hails from Sorsogon, said the Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) should reinstate the dethroned beauty queen solely on the basis of her rightful claim to the crown and not for any other reason.

This after the BPCI said that Raj may be reinstated for humanitarian reasons, after she was stripped of her Bb. Pilipinas-Universe title for inconsistencies in her birth certificate records.

The BPCI, in a statement said that after a careful deliberation they have decided that "for humanitarian reasons, that if she (Raj) is able to obtain a valid Philippine passport, we will re-instate her as the reigning Bb. Pilipinas-Universe."

"This seems to sound very patronizing. Raj has won the title after passing the rigorous competition with flying colors. She should be reinstated due to her rightful claim to the crown."

Escudero added that if the BPCI cites humanitarian reason for Raj's possible reinstatement "they should have put this consideration before they decided to strip Raj of her title."

"If they can actually conduct due deliberation on Raj's possible reinstatement, how come it was not so when they were still assessing her dethronement?"

Escudero also chided BPCI for putting as proviso Raj's securing of a valid passport in her reinstatement saying "it is their duty to take care of these things".

"Why should she be pilloried, or anyone for that matter for deeds she has no part of? She said she would have wanted to correct her birth records but since it entails money to do this, the lack of it prevented her to do so."

He said with or without help from the BPCI, Raj can get her passport but he went on to say that to show good faith on the part of the BPCI in correcting the dethronement, they should extend all the necessary assistance for Raj to obtain one. "It is their duty. They should be there for her."