CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia made good her threat to sue the persons responsible for staging a bikini show in Bantayan Island during the Lenten weekend.
She filed yesterday a criminal complaint before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor against event organizer Elton Tio and Rommel Solomon, owner of the resort where the show was staged, for what she described as a “shockingly indecent, vulgar and obscene” show.
The bikini show was held on the evening of Good Friday and lasted until dawn of Black Saturday.
In the complaint she filed in her capacity as governor, Garcia said that Tio and Solomon violated Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code.
She also said the two violated Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 19 (pornographic and indecent shows) of the Women’s Development Code of Cebu.
Article 201 states that the penalty of imprisonment of six years and one day to 12 years, or a fine ranging from P6,000 to P12,000, shall be imposed upon “those who…exhibit indecent or immoral… shows, it being understood that the obscene…show, whether live or in film, shall include those which…satisfy the market for violence, lust or pornography…or are contrary to law, public order, morals, good customs, established policies, lawful orders, decrees, and edicts.”
The Women’s Development Code of Cebu states that “beauty contests which tend to commodify, abuse, humiliate and treat women as *** objects shall be strictly prohibited in schools, communities and barangays.”
Tio, however, told Sun.Star Cebu in a separate interview that their fashion show last Black Saturday did not feature bikini-clad women.
Video
Tio said he had footage of the entire show, which lasted around 30 to 45 minutes. He added that he plans to speak with Governor Garcia and show her the footage of the entire show.
He admitted that some partygoers may have climbed onstage after the show but he assured that his staff kept on calling their attention and asking them to move.
“Nisaad ko sa governor ug nisaad ko sa pari nga wala’y magbikini sa show (I promised the governor and the priest that the show would not feature bikini-clad women),” Tio said. He added that he did not break his promise.
Tio claimed that Sta. Fe parish priest Isidrito Ducao II even sent some members of his church to see to it that no one will appear onstage clad in bikinis.
He added that during the entire show, nobody came up to stop the show and he presumed that everything was in order.
Maui too?
After the show, Tio explained that everyone was dancing, even the spectators, some of whom were clad in bikinis.
Aside from filing her complaint, Garcia also ordered Provincial Attorney Marino Martinquilla to identify other persons, including sponsors and promoters, responsible for the staging of the bikini show.
She also hinted at impleading model Paolo Paraiso and actresses Maui Taylor and Jennifer Lee to serve as a warning to others who may also want to take part in a similar show.
“Under the Revised Penal Code, they (show participants) are just as guilty…Gusto mong magsabog nianang inyong biga, ngadto mo sa laing probinsiya. Daku na kaayo mo’g kadaot nahimo ngari (If these people want to display their libido, they can do that in another province. They’ve done too much damage here),” she said.
“Rest assured that I will use all resources at my disposal to find out the identities of these personalities. Furthermore, I will not stop at this. I will also not hesitate to use all powers vested in me so that all those responsible will brought to court and meted the proper punishment,” an exasperated Garcia told a press conference.
Garcia had compelled Sta. Fe and police officials tasked to implement the order to explain why they should not be implicated in the complaint.
Formal deal
Sta. Fe Police Chief Rolando Evalle submitted a report on the activities yesterday morning.
Evalle said that Tio met with Sta. Fe Vice Mayor Adoracion Cabrera, four municipal councilors, Fr. Ducao and himself last April 8.
In that meeting, Evalle said they agreed that the fashion show would feature “formal attire” instead of skimpy swimwear.
He echoed Tio’s statement about Fr. Ducao sending some representatives to the show to make sure no bikinis will be featured.
“Hangtod karon, wala man mutawag si Fr. Ducao nako. Nagtuo ko nga wala siya’y reklamo sa gipahigayon nga show (Fr. Ducao hasn’t called me until now, so I thought he had no complaints about the show),” Evalle told reporters in a separate interview.
Calls to Fr. Ducao yesterday were unanswered.
“Daghan ang nagbikini pero didto ra sa ubos. Naa man gud ta sa beach so expected nga naa gyud na ang magsul-ob ug bikini (There were a lot of people in bikinis downstairs, on the beach),” Evalle said.
Beach wear
Supt. Erson Digal, commander of Task Force Igmat in Bantayan Island, said he noticed the first part of the show but noted that the models and some celebrities were not wearing bikinis but “short shorts” and some accessories that covered the bikinis.
The party, dubbed as “Summer Pump,” was not a contest but a fashion show featuring swimwear modeled by local celebrities.
“Naa’y daghan nagbikini, pero naa sila sa dagat ug sa beach, gapaso-paso. Dili na sad angay dakpon kay beach gud na (There were people in bikinis strolling on the beach, and there was no need to arrest them),” he explained. He added that there were women clad in bikinis selling cigarettes but they did not get up onstage.
However, he said his personnel did not stay at the resort the whole time because they had to patrol other resorts as well.
During her press conference yesterday, Garcia clarified that in her executive order, she did not actually ban the wearing of bikinis but shows that tend to “commodify” women.
“The (Provincial Women’s Development) Code specifically prohibits such shows which degrade women, shows which clearly and obviously, beyond any doubt, go beyond the bounds of decency,” she said.
‘Kabastosan’
She also showed GMA 7’s Balitang Bisdak newscast last Monday about the show’s scantily-clad participants making “suggestive moves.”
“What I just saw was clearly indecent…It’s not about the bikinis, it’s about indecency. It’s about transgression of public
morals. It’s all about kabastosan,” she said.
Garcia also countered the claim of Sta. Fe Councilor Roger Ilustrisimo, husband of Mayor Jennifer Ilustrisimo, that they have not yet received a copy of her executive order.
The governor said the Sta. Fe municipal hall received a fax copy of her order last April 7 at 4:38 p.m.
Garcia will meet today with all Sta. Fe municipal officials, Cebu Provincial Police Director Carmnelo Valmoria and local policemen to discuss “the matter of desecration of both womanhood and worse, of the Holy Week commemoration itself.”
Garcia said also she would call for further amendments to the Women’s Code “in order to address the proliferation these indecent and pornographic shows in the Province of Cebu.”
Originally Posted by rey04
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