Cops round up scantily clad starlets in Malate

Traffic was in a standstill for an hour yesterday afternoon along Roxas Boulevard in Manila when nine starlets in skimpy outfits paraded near the Rajah Soliman Plaza for an album pictorial.

Police had to step in when the crowd grew and became rowdy, stalling the flow of traffic.

The starlets and their manager were taken to the Western Traffic District Enforcement Office, where they were booked and detained.

Calling themselves "D’ Bodies," the starlets denounced their arrest and insisted they have not violated any law.

They said they were just holding a pictorial for their music album titled "Kiliti" and that the skimpy attire was part of the album’s concept.

Lito de Guzman, the manager of the group, showed a permit issued by Manila’s Business Promotion and Development Office for their pictorial.

"There is no indecent exposure. There is no immorality on our pictorial so why are the police arresting us," complained the manager, adding that if indeed the pictorial created a disturbance at the Baywalk area, it was the duty of the police to maintain peace and order.

De Guzman claimed they paid P3,200 to the city government for the one-day permit for the pictorial and strictly followed the regulations on the permit.

The permit showed that the Waterplus Productions had been granted permission to hold pictorial sessions on certain streets within the city of Manila on Sept. 16 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., including the Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard in Malate.

Inspector Vicente Belaro, the leader of the arresting team, said there were indeed indecent acts during the pictorial as some starlets were wearing transparent raincoats showing off their bosoms.

"Even Mayor Lito Atienza will not allow such body exposure at a public place like the Baywalk where even children roam. It is tantamount to negligence on our part if we allow such pictorials to go on," Belaro expalined.

He said charges of indecent acts, obstruction to traffic and alarm and scandal will be filed against the starlets and their manager.

De Guzman, together with his wards Kudette Honasan, Kat de Santos, Jeanette Joaquin, Ivory Ibañez, Lux Laurel, Pantene Palomino, Palmolive Palma, Rejoice Rivera and Micaela Monteverde, are planning to file counter charges against the arresting policemen.