By William B Depasupil & Nelson S Badilla/Manila Times

A Catholic bishop has demanded an apology from President Benigno Aquino over the “dirty dancing” incident at the recent birthday party of a congressman from the Liberal Party (LP), which Aquino heads.
Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo yesterday said what took place in that party was lewd, showing the dark side of traditional politicians or “trapos” who would do anything to get public attention.
Pabillo stressed that the president, by virtue of “command responsibility” as titular head of the LP, should apologise to the people.
“Because of that, the LP should apologize and (the president) should also apologise as head of the LP,” he said in an interview with the Church-run Radyo Veritas. The prelate said former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino should also ask for forgiveness from the public since both were present at the party.
“It was done in bad taste. We also demand an apology from former Interior and Local Secretary Mar Roxas and MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino,” the prelate added.
“‘Instead of boosting their dignity, they degraded themselves because of these shows. And this had to come from the country’s leaders,” Pabillo noted.
Roxas, the LP standard-bearer, presided over the oath-taking of new LP members while Tolentino, one of the LP’s senatorial candidates, allegedly provided the dancers as a birthday gift to Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr.
The lewd show went viral on social media.
Videos uploaded on Facebook showed three scantily clad women simulating sexual acts with men on stage despite the presence of minors in the audience.
The youth group Partido Manggagawa-Kabataan (PMK) echoed the bishop’s call, saying Tolentino and Agarao should stop their “insincere denials.”
Erika Isaias, PMK spokesman for Cavite, said the best thing that Tolentino and Agarao can do is extend “categorical apologies” to the public.
Agarao had denied that the dancers were a gift to him by Tolentino.
Isaias said Tolentino and Agarao’s “insincere denials are worthless and lame excuses are even worse. We want to hear Tolentino and Agarao declare that the performance was offensive to women.”
The group wants the two politicians to “promise not to (repeat) similar acts in their upcoming political events” after making a public apology.
“Such lewd dances have no place in a political gathering. Trapos frequently talk of family values, women’s rights and child welfare. But their use of sexy or lewd performances as entertainment in political meetings exposes such as lip service if not blatant lies,” the PMK said.