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Shamcey Supsup is putting an end to rumors that she walked out of the venue after Celeste Cortesi did not make it to the semi-finals of the 71st Miss Universe pageant.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News's Dyan Castillejo, the Miss Universe Philippines national director said she is "really saddened" and "a bit angry" to hear the "malicious rumors" that are making the rounds on social media.

"No, not true at all. I watched until the end. That's why I am really saddened and a bit angry to hear malicious rumors saying that we walked out after the Top 16, because it is not true," she stressed.

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Sharing her side of the story, Supsup said she was seated next to other national directors -- particularly Valerie Lim of Singapore and Lupita Jones of Mexico -- and that they were supporting each other throughout the pageant.

She added that it was only during a restroom break when she was able to see other members of the Miss Universe Philippines organization, who were seated in another part of the venue.

"Even though Celeste didn't make it... she also can't leave. She has to finish the entire show as well. So I went back in and I finished, I watched the show," she said.

"There's no walkout."

'GIVING CELESTE SPACE'

Castillejo, who accompanied Cortesi and her loved ones after the pageant, went on to ask Supsup to go on record why she was not with the beauty queen that night.

Citing her experience in Miss Universe 2011, where she finished third runner-up, the national director said candidates were usually brought by bus by organizers back to their hotel after the competition.

Supsup explained that she was planning to meet Cortesi at the hotel as it was also where she was staying, only to find out that she opted to go somewhere else -- a decision that she said she respected.

"I was staying in the same hotel as they're staying so I went ahead. Usually, that's where we will see the girls, in the hotel after the show. But then, when I got there, I found out that she didn't go back to her hotel because she wanted to spend time with her family -- her mom, her boyfriend, and her friends," she said.

"And for me, I understand completely how she's feeling. At that moment, she needed to be with her family. So we gave her that time and space," she continued.

"So ang napag-usapan namin, okay, she's with her mom in her Airbnb, she's spending time there until she needs it because her mom is leaving the next day. And then napag-usapan namin na sige, tomorrow na lang natin siya kitain."

According to Supsup, she and the Miss Universe Philippines team visited Cortesi the next morning, and made sure to comfort her.

"The next day, the whole team was there. I was there, everybody was there, you were there," she said, addressing Castillejo. "So I just want to erase that notion that she (Cortesi) was abandoned, she was left on her own. It is not true."

"The moment she woke up, we were there to talk to her, to comfort her, to tell her that it's devastating. But [we also told her that] to still have that support and that belief from many people that she deserves to be in, it's something to be proud of," she added.

And while she is aware that many pageant fans from the Philippines are saddened by Cortesi's non-placement in Miss Universe, Supsup hopes that they stop "trying to find someone to blame."

"I know it's hard to accept things when they don't go our way, but I believe it's time that we start respecting the results of the judges, the national directors, all the candidates, whether they win or not," she said. "And to recognize everybody's hard work to make this event possible."

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