Rody defends Tolentino in lewd dance controversy

President Rodrigo Duterte has defended senatorial candidate and former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, who drew flak in 2015 for hiring female dancers who perform raunchy moves during a public event, saying all the man did was pay for the performance.

Tolentino sparked controversy three years ago after members of the group Playgirls performed a lewd dance number during the 58th birthday celebration of Laguna Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr.

The dancers were reportedly sent by Tolentino, who was then being eyed as a senatorial candidate of the then ruling Liberal Party. Tolentino had apologized for failing to stop the dance number and had asked the LP to remove him from its list of possible senatorial bets. He ran for senator as an independent in 2016 but lost.

Speaking during a biodiversity festival in Palawan Saturday night, Duterte said the incident involving Tolentino was "awful" but claimed that the former political adviser was innocent.

"What really happened was an awful one. Eh, you know, he was just trying to show goodwill," the president said in a mix of English and Filipino.

"He was innocent. He said he would sponsor a dance number. He paid the female dance group. When they danced, you know what happened," he added.

But it was not the first time for Tolentino to hire the girl group.

The Playgirls had previously performed for the campaign of Tolentino's brother, Abraham, who was elected Cavite congressman in 2013.

Duterte claimed that women who appear on television dance like the Playgirls.