CEBU CITY – Controversy marred the “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo” (Pride of Cebu) festival when technical glitches hampered the performances of the contingents on Sunday night, August 27, at the Carcar Sports Complex in Carcar City, southern Cebu.

A CONTINGENT from Consolacion town, northern Cebu performs during the ritual showdown of the ‘Pasigarbo sa Sugbo’ festival on Sunday night, August 27, at the Carcar City Sports Complex in Carcar City, Cebu. (Photo from Capitol PIO)

In front of thousands of spectators, a fuming Cebu Gov.  Gwen Garcia lambasted the company that was hired to provide the event LED walls and sound system.

On several occasions, dancing contingents had to stop in the middle of their performances on stage when the music suddenly stopped.

Garcia counted at least 15 stoppages – technical glitches that she described as sabotage.

“I’m calling it a sabotage because by the very fact alone that Mr. Alberca did not care to divulge that his own daughter was a candidate for Pasigarbo Festival Queen,” Garcia said in a press conference on Monday, August 28.

Representing the Kabkaban Festival of Carcar, Jhesidy Thea Alberca was named Pasigarbo Festival Queen.

Jhesidy is the daughter of the owner of the lights and sound system that the province contracted for the event dubbed as “Festival of the Festivals.”

At least 50 contingents coming from Cebu’s 44 towns and six component cities participated in the event, which was part of the province’s founding anniversary celebration.

The non-disclosure of the owner of the lights and sound system that his daughter was competing in the festival was unethical, Garcia said.

“That’s unethical to bleed suspicion by other people that the event was sabotaged,” Garcia said.

Carcar emerged as the biggest winner in competition as it ruled the ritual showdown and street dancing competition.  

The municipality of Liloan won the Best in Jingle Festival award while Minglanilla won the Best in Festival Costume and Best in Mayor’s Introduction awards.

Consolacion took home the Best in Decorated Van award.

The competition dangled multi-million cash prizes to the winning contingents.

In the press briefing, Garcia announced a recomputation of the results will be made because “the online voting was severely affected by the lapses.”

“I’m warning all the mayors that results may change,” Garcia said.

The governor pointed out that recomputing the results will make it fair to all the participants.

The competition started early Sunday morning and ended at around 3 a.m. on Monday.  

“There is no perfect decision but this decision will render fairness to all who have worked so hard,” said Garcia.