National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Medardo G. de Lemos on Friday, July 7, apologized for the appearance of a “sexy dancer” who performed during the fellowship after a conference of the bureau last week.
“Una sa lahat, humihingi kami ng paumanhin dahil hindi namin intensyon makasakit ng damdamin ng ating kababaihan (First of all, we are apologizing because we do not intend to hurt the feelings of women),” De Lemos said in a press briefing.
“Kung naging offensive man ang pagsasayaw na ito noong June 30 after ng command conference sa sensibilities ng ating mga mamamayan lalo na ating kababaihan humihingi po kami ng paumanhin (If the dance that took place after the command conference was offensive to the sensibilities of our citizens, especially our women, we apologize),” he added.
He assured that an investigation on the incident is ongoing.
“Pinapaimbestigahan at papatawan natin ng karampatang parusa ayon the Civil Service rules at ng opisina kung sino ang nagkamali, nag-imbita sa sumayaw (We are currently investigating it and we will impose sanctions, based on the Civil Service rules and those of the NBI, against those who erred, who invited the dancer),” he also said.
He assured that “we will not hesitate to dismiss if dismissal is the penalty.”
De Lemos learned that the dancer performed at the fellowship of NBI officials following a command conference at a hotel in Manila last June 30.
“Hindi po ito sanctioned ng NBI management (This was not sanctioned by the NBI management),” he assured.
He said he was not able to witness the performance since he was already tired from the two-day conference from June 29 to 30 and had to leave at around 5:30 p.m. that day.
“Kung nandoon ako malamang napahinto natin ‘yung sumayaw na ito (Had I been there then I would have stopped it),” he stressed.
He explained that the fellowship was held for the purpose of “magkaroon ng bonding ang aming mga regional officers tsaka ng aming mga national officers dito sa Manila (for bonding among our regional officers and our national officers).”
He added that based on information, no government funds were used for the entertainment at the fellowship.
“Pagkakaalam ko walang ginamit na pondo ng gobyerno dito. Masasabi ko rin na sa kasiyahan na iyon ay nag-ambag-ambag ang mga agents natin from the regions, from Manila para maging successful ang fellowship ng NBI after ng command conference (What I know is that no government funds were used. What I can say is that the agents contributed their own money for the success of the fellowship after the command conference,” he said.
“Malakas po ang aming GAD dito, yung aming proteksyon ng kababaihan at sinusuportahan po ng management ‘yun. Malaki po ang paggalang namin at respeto namin sa kababaihan (We have a strong Gender and Development Program, our protection for women, and this is supported by the management),” he added.