De Lima questions values of public officials in lewd Laguna show

Exposing the youth and children to lewd performance of scantily clad women “does not speak well of one’s values as a public official,” Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said in reaction to the “Playgirls” performance and parlor games during the celebration of the 58th birthday and 40 years in service to government of Laguna representative Benjamin Agarao.

The “Playgirls” were allegedly a “surprise gift” of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino, an accusation which he already denied.

The girls performed wearing skimpy outfits, gyrating, twerking and going on top of male guests–some of whom were local officials invited on stage, wearing yellow, the color of the administration’s Liberal Party.

Agarao, while apologizing to the people offended by the performance said he could not find anything wrong with celebrating his birthday with such a performance.

“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.

READ: Agarao finds ‘nothing wrong’ with lewd dance after LP oath-taking

(It depends on one’s appreciation. Like me, I am a macho man, and I don’t find it offensive. In Manila, there are even those who dance in cages. In the province, the eyes of the viewers would pop out of their heads, but there is no malice.)

“Wala naman kasing malisiya. Unang-una, sa harapan ng maraming tao, nagsayaw sila. Kami dito, iba ang kultura namin. Kung may malisya du’n, edi pati ako damay,” he added.

(There really is no malice. Firstly, they danced in front of many people. We have a different culture here. If there were malice, then I would be implicated.)

But de Lima said, “any form of objectification of women is appalling. And based on reports, there were children and youth present in that party. To expose them to such a suggestive lewd show does not speak well of one’s values as a public official who should instead be taking care of youth formation among his constituency.”

READ: Female LP solons: ‘lewd’ show in Laguna ‘gross insult’ to all

“Such casual treatment of the individual dignity of human beings sets back any progress we make in women’s rights and the protection of children. Definitely, whether or not there were children, such an indecent adult show in public deserves censure and condemnation,” de Lima said in a text message to reporters.