Event organizer Sharmaine Casquero told the Variety that everything was in “black and white” and every item that they received from their sponsors were all accounted for.
Miss Marianas Bikini 2010 winner Diana Jean Castro sent a letter to the Variety saying that the organizers used false and misleading advertisement to promote the contest.
Castro said before the contest, they were told the proceeds will go to the Marianas Island Nature Alliance, a non-profit environmental organization.
She also claimed that the organizers told them the two grand winners would receive prices such as a Blackberry phone, shopping at 670 Rock Steady, one-year contract with Hard Rock, a trip to Boracay beach resort in the Philippines, round-trip tickets to Guam and “big” cash prizes.
Castro said she and Mr. Marianas Bikini 2010 winner Jemenniel Recorte received less than what they were promised.
In addition to other prizes, Castro and Recorte received $100 each.
The two first runner ups received $75 each. The second runner ups received $50 and the other contestants received $30 each.
Casquero said she never promised exact cash amounts to the candidates because the prizes would depend on how much they would get from the proceeds. She also clarified that right from the start, she stressed that only a part, and not all of the proceeds, would be given to MINA.
Casquero said they did not make any false promises. She said the organizers divided the $600 proceeds from the event among all the contestants so that everybody would get something.
“What we got from the sponsors, we gave to the winners as prizes,” she said.
They even had to shoulder most of the operational expenses, she added.
Casquero said the accusations were baseless.
Hard Rock Café operations manager Rey Perez said the restaurant was the host venue only, and that $200 was turned over to MINA as part of the proceeds from the event.
