Drilon: We won’t let ‘exploitative’ performance damage LP

The host of the event has insisted that the girls are courtesy of MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino. SCREENGRAB FROM YOUTUBE

Senate President Franklin Drilon joined the Liberal Party (LP) leadership on Friday in condemning the controversial lewd show by a female group during the birthday of a party member, saying “we will not let the good name of the LP be besmirched with this sorry, isolated case.”

“I am saddened and disappointed by this deplorable incident. I strongly condemn and will not tolerate it,” Drilon, vice chairman of LP, said in a statement.

“That sort of lewd and exploitative gimmickry is not befitting and is unacceptable of members of the Liberal Party,” he said.

READ: Roxas condemns ‘offensive’ show during LP congressman’s party

Drilon was reacting to the “surprise gift” that Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino allegedly gave Laguna Representative Benjie Agarao in the form of an all-girl trio “The Playgirls.”

But Tolentino, who is reportedly part of the LP’s senatorial ticket in 2016, already denied that the show was his birthday present for Agarao.

Wearing skimpy outfits, the girls invited male guests on stage, some of them were reportedly local officials, and started gyrating and going on top of them.

WATCH: Sexy dancers in post-LP event Tolentino’s ‘surprise gift’?

“As sworn adherents of the Tuwid na Daan form of reformist politics, LP members were expected to display upstanding and morally upright behavior. Those who fail to prove to the nation that they are good and morally responsible public servants have no place in our ranks,” said the Senate leader.

“I join the LP leadership in vowing to the public that we will get to the bottom of this incident. We will not let the good name of the LP be besmirched with this sorry, isolated case,” Drilon added.

Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, a member of the Senate minority bloc and a noontime show host, also condemned the incident.

“It is never appropriate anytime. Those kind of shows are demeaning for women,” Sotto said in a text message.

“The persons who are behind those kinds of shows should be ashamed of themselves. Wala ba silang mga ina? I’m sure na nahihiya ang mga ina nila (Don’t they have mothers? I’m sure their mothers are embarrassed),” he added. IDL