BINI members: Jhoanna, Stacey, Aiah, Sheena, Mikha, Maloi, Gwen and Colet | Image: Instagram/@bini_ph
Star Magic head Lauren Dyogi appealed to fans to respect BINI‘s privacy and personal space after members Maloi and Aiah experienced “disturbing” moments while they were out to enjoy their free time after headlining their recent three-day sold-out concert.
In a TikTok video posted by a fan, Maloi was seen apparently in discomfort as she got mobbed by fans while dining out with her family in a restaurant in Lemery, Batangas, turning the moment into a “meet and greet” as fans swamped their table.
In another video that went viral, a man “asserted” himself too close to Aiah at a bar in Cebu, and the singer was shown to be shocked and uneasy by how she was approached.
Both videos sparked outrage and concern from BINI fans, called “Blooms,” as well as other netizens.
“I was able to see some very disturbing videos of some of our members who didn’t seem to enjoy their break from the very stressful three-night concert. They went to public places because they wanted to unwind and spend some time with their families, but unfortunately, naka-experience po sila ng hindi magaganda (they experienced something troubling),” said Dyogi in a video statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday night, July 4.
The director asserted that the girls are also human and need personal space and privacy.
#BINI : Before the day ends, here’s a few reminders and an appeal from @direklauren: Please respect BINI’s personal space and privacy. pic.twitter.com/T3I5sZ6PEP
— BINI_PH (@BINI_ph) July 4, 2024
“Nakikiusap po ako (I am appealing) personally as part of the BINI team, na sana po kapag ang ating mga miyembro (when our members) ay spending their personal time, especially with their family and friends, to please also show respect to their privacy and personal space. Tao rin po sila. Kailangan rin po nila makisalamuha sa ibang tao (They are humans too. They also need to socialize with other people),” he stressed.
Dyogi affirmed that they want to give the members a semblance of regular life, especially given their hectic schedule, and without the threat of others crossing their personal boundaries.
“Kung pwede ho bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon to enjoy naman ‘yon (If possible, let’s give them a chance to enjoy it) without other people stepping beyond the boundaries. Nakikiusap po ako (I am appealing) especially for Aiah, that experience was really very disturbing. This is really a violation of the Safe Space Act for Women. This behavior can constitute sexual harassment in public spaces,” explained the director.
Meanwhile, AJ Fernan, the guy who inappropriately approached Aiah at the bar, posted an apology on social media to claim that he was not trying to “kiss” the singer and that he only got too close to her to tell her she’s pretty because of the loud music in the bar.
As of this writing, fans are making an appeal on X (formerly Twitter) for BINI’s management to take legal action against Fernan and his friends, who are seemingly “trying to make fun of the situation” with the comments they left on the guy’s apology post.
The hashtags “Kasuhan si AJ Fernan” and “Ituloy ang Kaso” are currently trending on X (Twitter).
Image: X (formerly Twitter) trends