LOOK: Playgirls thank Tolentino for hiring them in brother’s 2013 campaign
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino has denied reports that he brought in sexy dancers for the birthday celebration of a Laguna lawmaker, but a Facebook post of dancing trio “Playgirls” showed that the senatorial aspirant supposedly hired them for his brother’s campaign in the 2013 elections.
READ: Tolentino denies bringing ‘surprise’ sexy dancers to gathering
In a Facebook post dated April 11, 2013, Playgirls expressed gratitude to Tolentino for hiring them for the campaign of his brother, then Tagaytay City mayor and now Cavite Representative Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino.
“Thank you MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino for having PLAYGIRLS at the campaign of outgoing Mayor of Tagaytay and now running for Congressman for the 7th District of Cavite, Mayor Bambol Tolentino. Campaign in Magallanes, Cavite and Ternate, Cavite,” Playgirls said in the caption of a photo, which showed them wearing white and yellow campaign shirts.
The group also uploaded a Facebook album titled “Campaign for Cong. Bambol Tolentino @ Indang, Cavite (April 20)” on April 21, 2013, consisting of 16 photos.
In another Facebook post on May 14, 2013, the Playgirls listed and congratulated the politicians they have supposedly campaigned for in the past elections, all of whom were winners: Rep. Tolentino, disqualified Laguna governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito, Malabon Rep. Josephine Lacson Noel, Mayor Cecilio “Elyong” Hernandez of Rodriguez in Rizal, and San Rafael, Bulacan Mayor Cipriano Violago Jr. and Vice Mayor Edison Veneracion.
Tolentino, Hernandez, Violago, and Veneracion are affiliated with the ruling Liberal Party (LP).
“Maraming salamat sa tiwala sa PLAYGIRLS,” the all-female group said in the caption of a photo collage of campaigns they attended.
But in a statement posted also on Facebook, Playgirls manager Michael Tupaz said the group who campaigned for Rep. Tolentino in 2013 was “an old batch of Playgirls” and not affiliated anymore with them.
“The latest batch of Playgirls doesn’t know Chairman Tolentino. Chairman Tolentino doesn’t [know] anyone of them. Playgirls and Chairman Tolentino didn’t even [meet] personally in the birthday event last Oct. 1, 2015,” Tupaz said.
The Playgirls also have Facebook albums titled “PLAYGIRLS at Team PNOY Campaign in San Rafael, Bulacan (April 27),” “Breakfast @ Gov. ER Ejercito’s mansion in Pagsanjan, Laguna (May 13),” and “Congressman Robbie Puno’s Leaders General Assembly and Christmas Party at Bagong Nayon Elementary School, Antipolo.”
On Thursday, Tolentino got flak from netizens after allegedly bringing the scampily clad women, who were seen performing suggestive dance moves, as “surprise gift” to Laguna Representative Benjie Agarao. The birthday celebration was held after a Liberal Party event in the province, where administration presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas II led the oath-taking of 80 local officials.
The emcees of the event introduced the “Playgirls” as “courtesy of Chairman Francis Tolentino,” but the latter denied the reports, saying that he was just a guest at the party and the emcee “probably got misinformed.” IDL
READ: Tolentino gets flak for ‘surprise gift’ at LP event
