Laguna Rep. Benjamin Agarao said he found nothing wrong with the lewd performance of scantily clad women dancing during the celebration of his 58th birthday and 40 years in service to government on Thursday.
In a phone interview with reporters, Agarao said as a heterosexual, he said there was nothing wrong with celebrating his birthday with a dance performance of scantily clad women after an oath-taking of Liberal Party (LP) members, which was earlier attended by presidential aspirant Mar Roxas.
LOOK: Sexy dancers in post-LP event Tolentino’s ‘surprise gift’?
Agarao would like to apologize to those offended, maintaining that the performance was not given to him as a gift by Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis Tolentino, who is seeking a seat in the Senate in 2016.
READ: Tolentino denies bringing ‘surprise’ sexy dancers to gathering
“Depende yan sa appreciation. Katulad ko, lalaking lalaki ako, hindi ako masasagwaan. Diyan nga sa Maynila, mayroon pa ngang sumasayaw sa hawla. Sa probinsya, luluwa pa nga ang mata, walang malisya,” Agarao said.
“Wala naman kasing malisiya. Unang una, sa harapan ng maraming tao, nagsayaw sila. Kami dito, iba ang kultura namin. Kung may malisya dun, edi pati ako damay,” he added.
Agarao said the event was supposed to be a private one after the oath-taking of LP members in the province.
He said the performance was brought by a friend, and that the emcee was misinformed in saying Tolentino paid for the performance as a gift.
“Mayroon lang nagbulong para mabanggit ang pangalan ni Chairman Tolentino. Alam mo naman sa pulitika. Kung mangyari man, humihingi ako ng pasiyensiya na masagwa,” Agarao said, though he clarified he did not personally watch the lewd show.
Agarao lamented the social media tweets which, because of the lewd performance that went viral on Twitter, played around with the Aquino administration’s straight reform agenda and touted it “Tuwad na Daan.”
“Tapos na po ang LP event at humihingi ako ng paumanhin kong naging offending. Wala pong kinalaman si Chairman Tolentino dito at regalo ng mga kaibigan ko ang dance group para sa aking kaarawan,” Agarao said.
“Nabasa nga ng anak ko sa twitter kung bakit naging Tuwad na Daan [ang Tuwid na Daan]. Hindi po totoo ang mga balita,” Agarao added.
RELATED STORIES
Tolentino to ‘The Playgirls’: I actually asked them to wear skirts
Belmonte says lewd show in solon’s party was ‘in bad taste’