‘Twerking’ fallout: Tolentino out of LP’s Senate ticket

Administration party drafts Lacson as guest senatorial candidate

PRESIDENT Benigno C. Aquino III confirmed yesterday the withdrawal of resigned Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino from the senatorial lineup of the administration Liberal Party.

This was after Tolentino was dragged into the sexy dance number of the “Play Girls,” a group of three women, in a birthday party of Laguna Rep. Benjamin Agarao Jr. last week.

The former MMDA chief allegedly hired the group as gift to Agarao. Tolentino denied the allegation.

“Today, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino spoke on the recent incident connected to him. He has accepted responsibility for it. With this, he has likewise decided to withdraw as a senatorial candidate of the administration,” Aquino said.

Senate President Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman, welcomed Tolentino’s withdrawal from the LP Senate slate, saying this “will put a closure to this unfortunate episode.”

But despite Tolentino’s withdrawal from the LP’s senatorial slate, Aquino hailed Tolentino for being a firm advocate of “Daang Matuwid.”

The LP is now in the finishing touches of drafting its senatorial bets to be announced today at the ruling party headquarters in Balay, Cubao, Quezon City.

Despite objection from some quarters within the LP, former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has been drafted in its senatorial line-up as guest candidate.

Lacson is being opposed by some LP stalwarts because of his critical stand against some policies of the Aquino administration.

His inclusion to the LP senatorial line-up was sealed Tuesday night. It happened after a closed door meeting with LP standard bearer Mar Roxas II and Drilon.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo disclosed that sure slots were awarded to Sens. Drilon, Ralph Recto, ex-senator Francis Pangilinan, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva, and former energy secretary Jericho Petilla.

Among the aspiring candidates who are still under evaluation are: Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista; Philhealth Director and former Akbayan Party-list representative Risa Hontiveros; Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority) general manager and chief operating officer Mark Lapid; Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, and Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno.

On the other hand, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar has dropped his ambition to join his mother, Sen. Cynthia Villar, in the Senate in the next Congress.

Villar, son of former Senate president Manny Villar, may not join the race after his mother has opposed the idea of following the footsteps of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada and ex-senator Loi Ejercito who served the Senate in the same Congress.

Malacañang, meanwhile, said yesterday that de Lima and Villanueva will campaign together despite their differences.

Both de Lima and Villanueva are expected to run for the Senate under the administration slate, which will be announced today.

“They will campaign together,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.

Villanueva was among those charged by the National Bureau of Investigation, an attached agency of the Department of Justice, before the Office of the Ombudsman in relation to the alleged misuse of Priority Development Assistance Fund when the Tesda chief was still a partylist representative.

Villanueva has since denied any involvement in the scam.