Filipino P-Pop girl group Bini has released a public apology following the circulation of a controversial video involving three of its members and two male friends. The short clip, which made the rounds online earlier this week, drew mixed reactions from fans and triggered a wave of backlash over its inappropriate content.
The video, which was reportedly uploaded to TikTok before going viral on X (formerly Twitter), showed Bini leader Jhoanna Robles watching GAT member Ethan David and dancer Shawn Castro imitate a crude sexual act as a joke. In the background, Bini member Stacey Sevilleja made a remark referencing an alleged incident involving someone named Ashley, to which fellow member Colet Vergara added that it happened “at 13 years old.”
On Thursday night, Bini issued a formal statement via their social media channels, acknowledging the backlash and expressing remorse. “We know that the past couple of days have been triggering and disappointing for all of you,” the group wrote. “Sincerely, we understand where all of those feelings are coming from. The video shows a private moment of us with friends. We definitely did not intend to hurt anyone in the process.”
The group added, “We offer no excuse for our actions, reactions, and choice of words. We take full accountability… We deeply regret our mistake and sincerely apologize to our Blooms, friends, families, and the general public. We humbly ask for a chance to reflect on and learn from our mistakes.”
The apology came after fans expressed concern over the behavior depicted in the video, with some calling it inappropriate and out of line for a group that advocates women’s empowerment. The incident sparked debate among the fanbase — known as “Blooms” — with some announcing they would stop supporting the group, while others called for compassion and room for growth.
Prior to the group’s statement, fan page Bloom Philippines posted a message on X urging Bini and their management to address the controversy directly and to demonstrate “accountability” in line with their message of empowerment.
In response to the video, Ethan David of the boy group GAT, managed by Viva Artist Agency, also posted a public apology. “In that video, I was shown making certain crude motions as a joke… I take full responsibility for my actions and I sincerely apologize,” he said. “I understand how offensive my actions appeared… I have great respect for all people, especially women, and the video does not reflect the values I uphold as a person. This will never happen again.”
David further promised to take time to reflect and educate himself to avoid repeating similar behavior in the future.
Dancer Shawn Castro, who also appeared in the video, took to Instagram Stories to issue his own statement. “We would like to apologize to everyone who got offended, triggered, or hurt by the actions seen in the said video,” he wrote. While clarifying that the clip was taken out of context and that no one was harmed, he admitted the joke was inappropriate. “We got too comfortable and carried away. It was not a good joke, especially considering how it looked in the video,” he added.
He concluded with a promise: “We’ve learned from this and it won’t happen again. We understand this is not a minor issue, so we take full accountability and responsibility for everything that was done.”
Bini is an eight-member girl group composed of Aiah, Colet, Gwen, Jhoanna, Maloi, Mikha, Sheena, and Stacey. They rose to popularity with their empowering tracks like “Lagi,” “Karera,” and “Salamin, Salamin.” GAT, meanwhile, is a newly launched P-Pop boy group including David, Charles Law, Michael Keith, Hans Paronda, and Derick Ong.
As of this writing, the identity of the person who originally leaked the clip remains unknown. The video first appeared on X under the username @BaliLeeg.