In an astonishing display of vexillological ignorance, Nikki De Moura, the Philippines’ representative to the Miss Grand International pageant, was caught on camera waving her country’s flag with the red stripe on top, a universal sign among Filipinos that the nation is apparently at war. The flag was also attached on the wrong side to a stick. Now, one must wonder, was this a deliberate act of protest or an accidental display of incompetence?

De Moura, half-Brazilan, who was expected to not only showcase beauty but also intelligence, may have inadvertently shaken our faith in her pageant prowess. Is it too much to ask that a Miss Grand International candidate be able to correctly handle her own country’s flag? Perhaps a basic geography lesson or a refresher in flag etiquette should be in order.

Conspiracy theorists, on the other hand, might argue that this mishap was nothing short of sabotage. After all, why did only De Moura’s flag suffer this glaring misfortune? Were there secret agents out to tarnish the reputation of the Philippine contestant?

As we await answers, one thing remains clear: beauty queens should probably stick to their strengths, like dazzling evening gowns and flawless smiles, and leave the flag-waving to the experts.