Duterte as Miss Universe judge only hypothetical, DOT clarifies

Tourism Undersecretary Kat de Castro on Sunday clarified her statement on President Rodrigo Duterte being asked to be a judge in the Miss Universe coronation next year.

"Someone asked a question about the President's participation. It was hypothetical," De Castro told GMA News Online in a phone interview. "It (being a judge) was never brought up with the president."

De Castro clarified that the Department of Tourism knows that the Miss Universe organization has a policy against having a judge from the host country.

During a press briefing for the pageant on Friday, De Castro said, "Apparently, it’s a rule for Miss Universe Organization not to have a judge from the host country but I think if it’s the President, that’s gonna be another, you know, I think they will make an exception to the rule."

“Well, I think his men are aware that we would like him to be part of you know, to judge it or just even to watch it. But he has not yet given us a concrete answer altogether,” she added.

On Saturday, the president of the Miss Universe Organization Paula Shugart said that politicians are usually not part of the pageant.

"We tend not to have government officials involved. That's just my policy, we don't do that," she said. "It's the 65th anniversary so we want to focus on that."

Still, the president has been invited to watch the show, though his attendance has not been confirmed. —ALG, GMA News