Whenever there’s a beauty pageant, viewers usually spots something “fishy” in each of the candidate’s personal lives. Eyeing on the candidates’ social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram has always been customary to many netizens online.
The controversial thread echoed on Twitter and Facebook when Sandra Lemonon, Shamcey Supsup, and MJ Lastimosa posted a series of Instagram stories on each of their personal accounts after the Miss Universe Philippines 2020.
Lemonon, who finished the race as part of the top 16, posted an intriguing message before the airing of the competition wherein she wrote, “Get ready loves. Tomorrow I will be announcing big news. It’s time to speak up.”
After the pageant, Lemonon followed up her post saying, “The truth always comes out. It’s just about timing. Karma is real soon, because we deserve justice.”
“Open communication should start in household,” she added.
A few hours later, Shamcey Supsup-Lee, National Director of Miss Universe PH also posted on her Instagram: “To bear defeat with dignity, to accept criticism with poise, to receive honors with humility –these are the marks of a true queen.”
Many netizens who read the post believe that Shamcey was having an indirect response to Lemonon’s posts.
And this further fueled after she posted back a boomerang of tea and captioned it as: “Get your tea. Accepting defeat graciously is one of many mark of being a queen. But what you forgot to say is that REAL queens play FAIR don’t CHEAT.”
On the other hand, Lemonon also revealed another post of what she really meant by “big news” as she posted, “So here’s the truth… May gumamit po ng Packaging Tape sa Swimsuit Competition,” yet Lemonon has not explained what this message was about and whom she had referred the allegation.
She then segued her post saying, “So here’s the truth… I’m selling Mango Graham and Leche Flan. Order na guys. PM is the key.”
On behalf of the controversy, MJ Lastimosa, Miss Universe Philippines 2014 has reacted and said to all the BB. Pilipinas candidates to accept defeat.
“BBP2012 (Binibining Pilipinas) taught me my greatest pageant lesson in life. A true queen is someone who can accept defeat and rise above it. A crown doesn’t define us, we define it. This is not the end but only the beginning for our #MissUniversePhilippines girls. Congratulations everyone,” Lastimosa marked on Twitter.
After all, Lemonon ended the exchange by saying, “Sometimes you will have to face many hate before people get to understand what really is happening behind the scene. I am gathering all my strength to speak UP and share the truth. All I want is for us to improve for the next batch of ladies who will be in our shoes and I do not want them to face what we did. Because we can do better and DESERVE BETTER.”
Sandra Lemonon was named fourth runner-up at the Miss World Philippines 2016. She was also a finalist in Binibining Pilipinas 2018. Catriona Gray and Lemonon were long-time batch mates in the beauty pageant. However, Gray defeated Lemonon twice and it was when Gray was crowned as the Bb. Pilipinas 2018 and, later on named as the Miss Universe 2018. Despite her many losses, Lemonon continued to join Bb. Pilipinas 2020 by representing Taguig which placed her in the Top 16.
