CARACAS, Venezuela (The Adobo Chronicles, New York Bureau) – If it can happen to ex-Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto del Rosario and ex-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, it can happen to the Philippines’ representative to the Miss Grand International beauty pageant.

It will be recalled that both del Rosario and Morales were barred from entering Hong Kong for passport and other issues.

Now, it appears Miss Philippines Samantha Lo was initially unable to reach the pageant’s host country — Venezuela — due to “passport issues.” (She finally made it on second try.)

Lo’s case has fueled lots of speculation and comments from beauty pageant-loving netizens, saying that this should never have happened to their beauty queen.

Some criticized the local pageant organizer, Binibining Pilipinas Charities, for not taking good  care of Lo’s travel documents.

Others speculated that the government of Venezuela didn’t want Lo to join the pageant because she was a big threat to its own candidate, Miss Venezuela.  The Philippines and Venezuela are often neck-and-neck when it comes to winning international beauty crowns.

Still a few Pinoys surmised that Lo was holding a Chinese passport, instead of a Filipino passport.

All unfounded rumors, of course.

We wish Miss Philippines the best of luck.  Bring home the bacon, ASF-free, we hope.