Organizer, Town Officials, Cops: Gwen to sue those behind "bikini show"

CEBU, Philippines – The organizers of a “bikini show” and the officials of Sta. Fe town in Bantayan Island have angered Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The governor got mad upon learning from an exclusive video footage shown on GMA 7 Balitang Bisdak that public officials and police personnel and the event organizer defied her executive order to strictly observe and implement provisions of the Provincial Women’s Development Code of Cebu.

Chapter 3, Article 1, Section 5 of the code states that “beauty contests which tend to commodify, abuse, humiliate and treat women as sex objects shall be strictly prohibited in schools, communities and barangays.”

“If in fact, if the Executive Order had been violated, I will file the proper charges against the promoter, sponsors and owner of the resort,” Garcia said.

The governor has repeatedly expressed opposition to what she describes as indecent shows that desecrate womanhood.

The governor immediately ordered Provincial Attorney Marino Martinquilla to formally send a letter to the GMA 7 management to provide Capitol with video footage.

Sta. Fe Mayor Jennifer Illustrisimo and the officials are not exempted from the charges to be filed by the governor.

“I shall be requesting the local officials of Sta. Fe as well as the police assigned (at Sta. Fe) to show cause why they should not be included in the filing of charges,” an angry Garcia said.

Hundreds of local and foreign tourists as well as Bantayan residents reportedly gathered at the Ramils Beach Resort to watch the show and paid P100 as entrance fee.

The activity reportedly started at around 8:00 in the evening with a live band. At around 11 p. m., three sets of fashion shows started. 

The first featured models in casual attire.

For the second set, the female models were already wearing bikinis while the men wore trunks.

The highlight of the show was the presence of the Viva Hot Babes, who strutted their wares on stage at around 12 midnight.

The Hot Babes present were Maui Taylor and Jennifer Lee, they were joined by actor Paolo Paraiso. The show business personalities reportedly were on stage wearing their bikinis with other men and women also clad in beach attire dancing with them.

The Freeman called up Mayor Illustrisimo but her secretary Reynalyn Illustrimiso, said the mayor did not report for work. She however denied that there was a “bikini show.”

“Wala mi kadungog niana. Si mayor naa ra man gyud sa balay pag-Holy Week,” Reynalyn said.

The police also denied there was a bikini show.

Supt. Erson Digal, Cebu Provincial Police Office Deputy director for Administration and the head of the Task Force Igmat assigned in Bantayan Island during the Holy Week, said that it was not really a bikini open, but instead the girls were just wearing skimpy short pants.

“Dili man jud siya ingon nga bikini kay ang ilang gisul-ob short man nga kanang sexy pero ang ilang gibuhat nagpaso-paso ra gud. Ambot lang sab ug unsa pa ang ilang gi-present sa ikatulo nga part sa program kay wala man ko nag-stambay sa maong area kay nagsuroy-suroy man ko sa ubang dapit pagmaintain sa security,” Digal said. 

The police official added that not only the models wore sexy outfits, but as well as the other people in the area.

CPPO Director Carmelo Valmoria has already instructed the chief of police of Sta. Fe to check on the report.

Valmoria said that the management of the resort will be liable for violating the order of the governor.

After the signing of the executive order, Elton Tio, an event organizer of the show, came to see to the governor to clarify matters regarding the issue of not allowing them to hold the show claiming that it isn’t a bikini contest but a fashion show.

Tio told the governor that they are willing to cooperate with the government, but are afraid to be sued for breach of contract by their sponsors. They had been holding this show for four years now.

One of the employees of the resort, in an interview with The Freeman last night, confirmed that there was a bikini show. — /NLQ (THE FREEMAN)