John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz
DESPITE the twerking “Playgirls” controversy that forced him to withdraw from the Liberal Party slate, Francis Tolentino filed his certificate of candidacy for senator at the Commission on Elections office in Intramuros, Manila Wednesday.
Tolentino, who was also forced to resign as Metro Manila Development Administration chief, was accompanied by hundreds of supporters holding banners of support.
“[The Twerking Playgirls incident] is already over. I already issued an apology on bended knees and with all humility. I even asked that I be delisted from the Liberal Party senatorial slate. I even asked that I be considered resigned effective immediately,” he said.
“Maybe that should be closed already. Let’s move forward,” Tolentino told the reporters.
“I’d like to talk on substance. I’d like to talk on problems of urbanization. I’d like to talk on how to upgrade and improve the local government code. I’d like to talk about public international law and how it will affect issues concerning Spratlys and the West Philippine Sea. I’d like to talk about that,” said Tolentino, who is running as an independent.
But the Gabriela Women’s Party continued to assail Tolentino for the incident and said “a lewd public official has no place in public service.”
“He does not deserve to be voted as a legislator. He will be a lawmaker, lawbreaker,” Gabriela party-list Rep. Luz Ilagan told The Standard after Tolentino filed his certificate of candidacy.
“What does he mean by ‘moving on’?” Ilagan asked. “I also heard him say that we should tackle more ‘substantial’ issues.”
“Moving on for him is setting aside and forgetting his sins. He is trivializing his serious lapse,” Ilagan pointed out.
“That goes to show that he has a different set of priorities and values. He therefore does not consider respect for women as substantial. He thinks exploiting women and commodifying their bodies as part of the political agenda, “ Ilagan said.
Arlene Brosas, executive director of Akap Sa Bata Philippines, also hit Tolentino for his supposed lack of delicadeza [propriety] in running for senator.
“We filed a complaint against Tolentino for the violation of RA 6730 or the Magna Carta for Women. We just cannot understand why he isn’t ashamed—now he’s planning to run as Senator even as an independent—as if nothing happened. Public apology isn’t enough,” Brosas said.
“Tolentino is asking to just move on from the twerk scandal issue, it says so much about our culture and what kind of politics we have in our country. What kind of politics will you forward with that kind of culture that we have, wherein women are treated very lowly,” Brosas added.