Miss Philippines Maria Venus Raj Loses Crown Over Birth Certificate

by Erin Donnelly (Subscribe to Erin Donnelly's posts)
Posted Mar 31st 2010 at 12:37PM

miss phillipines universe maria venus raj

Miss Philippines-Universe Maria Venus Raj loses her title. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Apparently knocking a competitor's lights out and getting busted for stealing credit cards aren't the only ways to lose your beauty queen tiara.

Just ask Maria Venus Raj, who was stripped of her Miss Philippines-Universe title and disqualified from this year's Miss Universe pageant after officials learned that she's illegitimate, the AFP reports.

The trouble stems from the fact that the 21-year-old Raj's birth certificate -- which claims she was born to married Filipino parents -- had false information, pageant officials tell the news agency.

In fact, the beauty queen was reportedly in Qatar to a Filipina mother and Indian father, who were unwed. Details, details.

"We found out about the inconsistencies after the coronation night," Lilia Ambay of Miss Philippines-Universe Charity Incorporated told the AFP.

A replacement will reportedly take Raj's place at the Miss Universe pageant later this year.

Ouch. And we thought we had beef with our parents!

Meanwhile, read about Miss Beverly Hills' politically incorrect statements.

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Filed under: Beauty, News
Tags: beauty queen, lilia ambay, maria venus raj, miss philippines, miss universe, Pageants

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READER COMMENTS

(64)Add A Comment

satish seth, 4-01-2010, 2:13AM

They didnt had to go so far as name RAJ suggests an indian origin!!!!
Wonder what took so long???????
Anyway its not the end RAJ.........

Reply »

FLECKSTER, 4-02-2010, 6:46AM

But they didnt strip Obama when he didnt show his birth certificate.....the poor girl

Reply »

Bill, 4-02-2010, 8:01AM

He was born in ......... AMERICA. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a communist.

R, 4-02-2010, 6:05PM

When the truth about Obama 's real birth comes out , we must hang him for treason.

Roxy, 4-02-2010, 9:11AM

Why has this turned into an issue with Obama? Why do some of you just have to ruin every article to push your political agenda? Enough already! Take your lame, over done birth certificate conspiracy somewhere else. This is about a woman losing her title because her parents weren't married, which shouldn't have even been an issue. I thought this was the year 2010, not 1910.

Andie, 4-02-2010, 11:50AM

HAHAHAHA! OMG TAT WUZ SO CLEVER! HOW DO U COM UP WIT DIZ STUF!??! ROFLOLMAO!!!

How original. Got any more, Dane Cook? *rolls eyes*

Gary, 4-02-2010, 12:10PM

Looks like Bill didn't do too well in school.

Crystal, 4-02-2010, 1:17PM

Exactly what i was going to say...if we can have a president without a proper bc then why should a pageant be so strict

Deb, 4-02-2010, 1:32PM

When I see Obamas birth certificate, then I'll believe it exists. I had to show a birth certificate for my job and I'm certainly not running the country. I don't understand what the big deal is with him producing a legal document that I have to produce to get a driver's license.

Ant, 4-02-2010, 6:51AM

Funny. You can't hold a Miss America crown with a fake Birth Certificate, but you can move into the White House with one. Not bad!

Reply »

Walt, 4-02-2010, 7:00AM

Ant, that is exactly what I was thinking.

drbaby422, 4-02-2010, 9:07AM

What is bad is that idiots like you can actually put together the garbage that spews from that tiny mind of yours. Of course, that's assuming it's not all empty space up there. Because materializing something out of nothing would be a talent. Probably your only one at that.

Joe, 4-02-2010, 12:50PM

Then please explain how Obambam can materialize jobs out of an economy that isn't there. How does he keep giving away money that we don't have? Tell me, Mr Genius, what is the secret?

Bill, 4-02-2010, 7:04AM

Yep, Only in America

Reply »

ej, 4-02-2010, 11:13AM

Do you even know geography and American History? The Philippines is not part of America, never was, never has been. Get your facts straight before you comment.

dshwme2, 4-02-2010, 7:03AM

Too bad she was banned over something she could do nothing about. That rule is one that should definitely be changed.

Reply »

karen's computer, 4-02-2010, 7:08AM

The pageant officials are the ones that need to be stripped of their titles, since they feel this young lady is not fit to wear the crown. The reason stated is because her parents were not married and other so-called inconsistancies with her birth certificate. For the Officials to be justified in making this decision legal proof should be required stating that they nor any other relative or ancestor gave birth without the legal bonds of marriage as well as legal proof that they nor any other relative or ancestor had sexual relations prior to being legally married. This requirement should be met before one can become an official to make such an arrogant judgement call.

Reply »

carlaippolito, 4-02-2010, 7:14AM

I dont understand what the parents have to do with it..???...So, she had screwed up parents,,,Thats not her fault...Her title should be based on HER...not her parents or relatives

Reply »

steve, 4-02-2010, 7:25AM

I agree 100%.

Donna Richards, 4-02-2010, 11:21AM

I feel the same way you do. There are other women out there, I am sure, that have become beauty queens regardless of how their situation has been and some of them even only had just one parent, and did it as a single parent raising their daughter, but they still got in. I just don't feel they need to blame her either. She did not asked to be put in the situation, it just happened. I am sure she did not asked to be born. Women get pregnant all the time when they don't expect to. angelspirit

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