Why Miss Universe nearly canceled pageant in PHL, according to Chavit

The owners of the Miss Universe pageant at one point pulled the plug on the Philippines hosting the prestigious competition.

LCS Group President and former Ilocos Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson, one of the partners of the pageant, made the admission after the official launch of the pageant on Wednesday.

"There was a time na kinansela. Ako hindi pwedeng kanselahan kasi bayad kami, fully paid, and we signed a contract. It was a breach of contract," Singson said.

Singson said his group paid $12.9 million to host the pageant.

He said the Miss Universe Organization had no qualms about hosting the pageant in the Philippines, but the owners were adamant about pulling out.

Asked why the owners wanted to back out, Singson answered, "Ang mga may-ari kasi ay mga Jew."

The Miss Universe Organization is owned by WME-IMG, which is co-run by Hollywood power brokers Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell. Emanuel is one of the most prominent members of the Jewish community in American entertainment, once calling on Hollywood to blacklist Mel Gibson over the actor-director's anti-Semitic remarks.

Last September, President Rodrigo Duterte made worldwide headlines when he referenced Adolf Hitler in comments about his administration's drug war. Jewish organizations condemned the remarks.

Duterte apologized to the Jewish community in the Philippines for his remarks.

Singson said it was the Jewish community that convinced the Miss Universe owners to push through with the competition in the Philippines.

Singson, meanwhile, also hinted that there may have been politics involved, with Emanuel's brother Rahm Emanuel having served as White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama. The American president is a frequent target of Duterte's tirades over Obama's criticism of the Philippines' efforts against crime.

"Si Obama, chief of staff niya yung kapatid ng mayari...So parang may politics," he added. —JST, GMA News