Former beauty queen MJ Lastimosa has cleared her name on allegations that she was creating hate among Miss Universe candidates, particularly to Miss Thailand Amanda Obdam.
Note that live video of MJ during the preliminary round has trended online, where she could be heard saying: "Ginaya niya si Catriona (Gray, Miss Universe 2018) maglakad. Ganyan si Catriona eh!" (She imitated how Catriona walked. That's how Catriona walked).
"Di ba, ganyang-ganyan. Pati tumingin no? Inaral niya! Aral na aral niya si Catriona. Lahat - tingin, yung hair, yung ulo," she continued. (She really studied the style of Catriona - the hair, head movements).
Many deemed the feedback "offensive," relating MJ was seemingly "mocking" the participant for not having "originality."
But the Pinay beauty queen said that she's not bashing anyone.
"Hindi po ako nangaaway. Normal naman pagaralan mga past queens. I just can see Cat on her. I also watched Cat live in Thailand eh. I also studied Dayana Mendoza ... love her to death," she said. (I am not fighting with anybody. It's normal for beauty queens to study the style of the past queens).
"May comment naman ako sa lahat mumshie di lang sa kanya. Pero ang Ganda nya!," she noted in another tweet. (But she's beautiful).
The Miss Universe Philippines 2014 reiterated she just shared what she saw.
"I watched Cat live and it really reminded me of her. Now, is it good or bad? No. Beauty queens really do have a peg once they start training for pageants, inspiration or pattern na inaaral, that’s common," she said.
"I am watching and talking to my seatmates so obviously I’m allowed to say something. But all we did was to appreciate girls and their beauty, if you get to watch my live. I really find Amanda beautiful with good stage presence," she added. "Bakit ba kayo nagagalit like as if Catriona reference is a bad thing."
MJ pointed out that the said Filipino beauty queen is "one h*ck of a Miss Universe" so naturally a lot of women will look up to her.
She also explained that she laughed towards the end because she was waving at every girl and some waves back but "with her I screamed pa ‘hi and when she didn’t waved back."
"Shamcey looked at me like ahaaa pahiya, parang tukso sakin that’s why we laughed, but not towards her. We will never!!! Sobrang out of context nila mga sizt."
Because of the backlash, MJ announced that she won't be doing live-streaming on finals.
"Para maka pag chika kami all we want," she teased.