Rep. Bong Suntay (Quezon City Fourth District) was urged to take accountability for his inappropriate remarks about host-actress Anne Curtis during the deliberations of the House Committee on Justice on Tuesday, March 3.
Suntay was among those present during the proceedings on the pending impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.
The lawmaker was defending Duterte’s past remark that she had “imagined” herself “cutting” the head of Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying that he, too, had experienced a “desire” upon seeing Anne in public but could only “imagine” what would happen.
“Alam mo, minsan, nasa Shangri-La ako, nakita ko si Anne Curtis, ang ganda-ganda pala niya. You know, may desire sa loob ko na nag-init talaga. Na-imagine ko na lang kung ano ang pwedeng mangyari,” the married lawmaker said.
“Pero syempre, hanggang imagination na lang ‘yon. Hindi naman siguro ako pwedeng kasuhan dahil kung anu-ano ‘yong na-imagine ko,” Suntay added.
His remarks did not sit well with Rep. Ysabel Zamora (San Juan), who moved to have them stricken from the record.
Nevertheless, the comment drew the attention of Filipinos, including actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Anne’s sister, who described Suntay as a “disgusting man.”
“RESPECTFULLY, BONG SUNTAY, WHAT ON EARTH??? BAKIT GANON ANG THINKING? HAPPY NATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH,” Jasmine commented.
“WHAT A DISGUSTING MAN. A FATHER. A HUSBAND,” she added, reacting to an interview where Suntay said that Anne should take his remarks as a “compliment.”
“A COMPLIMENT??? ANG DAMI KO GUSTONG SABIHIN! KADIRI PO KAYO,” Jasmine continued.
She later quipped that she had a “hard time” sleeping because of the fury she felt upon learning of Suntay’s comments toward her older sister.
The actress also took to her Facebook page to demand accountability from the lawmaker, stressing that the issue is not just about a female celebrity but how women “continue to be reduced to bodies in spaces dominated by men in power.”
“When a congressman publicly narrates his ‘desire’ and imagination about a woman he once saw (or dreams he saw, i don’t know, his statements keep changing), it reinforces a culture that treats women as consumable, as spectacle, as fantasy, as objects for commentary rather than as whole human beings with agency, intellect, and autonomy,” Jasmine wrote.
“Public office carries with it the responsibility to elevate discourse, not diminish it. The halls of government should be spaces where women are discussed for their contributions, their ideas, and their leadership — not as imagined scenarios,” she added.
“We cannot continue excusing this as ‘just being honest’ or ‘just a compliment.’ It is neither. Respect is not complicated. If we want safer environments for our daughters, nieces, and future leaders, accountability must begin with those elected to represent us,” Jasmine continued.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also called on the lawmaker, who represents the city, to apologize, saying that “his words directly contradict the spirit of empowerment that we have worked hard to build” in Quezon City.
“Over the years, we have embraced the difficult work of establishing protections for women, constantly striving to honor their rights by creating safe spaces and opportunities for them,” she said in a statement.
“In this context, it is truly disappointing to witness Congressman Suntay’s casual display of objectification, on Women’s Month no less. But what makes this incident especially troubling is the fact that, as a former member of our City Council, he was part of the body that passed our Gender and Development Code,” Belmonte added.
“Moreover, he was the majority floor leader of the city council when we passed the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which declares that lewd, malicious, and demeaning remarks and acts have no place in public life. Quezon City instituted this policy in 2016 — ahead of the national Safe Spaces Act,” she continued.
“Our policies are a declaration of our city’s values — of what we stand for and what we refuse to tolerate. We expect our elected officials to be the first to live by them,” the mayor added.
“Thus, it is clear to me: We must not hesitate to push back against any act that undermines the dignity of our women. We must continue to stand for their safety, dignity, and equality —without exception and without compromise,” Belmonte further said.
She further urged the lawmaker to take accountability for his remarks and to conduct himself appropriately as an elected official.
“We call on Congressman Suntay to take full accountability for his remarks, issue a proper apology, and conduct himself with the dignity that his office — and our city — demand. Our people deserve no less,” Belmonte said.
‘Nothing malicious’
Suntay later appeared in a radio interview, insisting that there was “nothing malicious” in his comment, considering the context.
“I stand by that analogy that I made, but if some people were offended, lalo na Women’s Month, I’m sorry for those who were offended, but if you read the context talaga, there was nothing malicious in it,” he told DZMM Teleradyo on Wednesday, March 4.
“Depende kung bibigyan ng malice nung nagbasa… Pasensiya na po. To make it appear offensive was not the intention,” Suntay added.
“Ang punto ko, a lot of people, they take a statement out of context kasi that analogy was made dun sa one of the articles in the complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte…” he further said.
“Ang imagination ba, is it an impeachable offense or a criminal offense? Kaya ako gumawa ng analogy,” the lawmaker added.
Suntay made these comments during the Philippines’ National Women’s Month in March, a period dedicated to honoring women’s achievements and addressing issues affecting them.
Anne in transit
Meanwhile, on Sunday, March 1, Anne shared that her flight to Dubai had to be rerouted due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
She had attended a fashion event in Milan, Italy, the previous week and was planning to join her family in Dubai when she noticed a high-speed jet flying alongside their plane.
“Next thing I knew, they announced we would be turning around and making our way back to Milan due to the airstrikes,” Anne previously said. “All flights to the Middle East have been grounded.
Two days later, her mother, Carmen, shared that the actress had already reunited with her family, husband Erwan Heussaff and daughter Dahlia, in Oman.
The matriarch said the situation was a “nightmare” for the family and that she is hoping they would be safe “till they get back to Manila.”
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated recently following airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
US President Donald Trump said the US is seeking to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and navy, its ability to develop nuclear weapons, and its support for proxy groups in the region.
RELATED: Explainer: Why is the US attacking Iran?
