PASAY CITY, Philippines — The Miss Universe Philippines Organization and beauty queen Imelda Schweighart announced on Saturday, May 2, that Schweighart had withdrawn from the Miss Universe Philippines 2026 competition hours before the coronation night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
In a joint statement released on the organization’s official social media platforms, both parties said the decision was made mutually after consideration. The statement described the separation as professional and clarified that no conflict existed between Schweighart and the organization.
The statement said Schweighart expressed gratitude for the opportunity to compete, while the organization thanked her for her participation and wished her well in future endeavors. Both parties said they consider the matter settled and requested privacy moving forward.
The announcement followed weeks of speculation linking Schweighart to an earlier statement by the organization regarding the disqualification of an unnamed candidate over “certain behaviors.” Pageant insiders later said that the disqualified delegate referenced in that earlier statement was not Schweighart.
Schweighart had been representing Kalibo, Aklan, in the 2026 competition. She was also recently introduced as a participant in an “All Stars” edition of Miss Grand International, which contributed to speculation about her status in the national pageant.