Suntay urged to issue public apology following remarks on Anne Curtis

Posted by ReyFort Media

MANILA  — Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay was urged by a fellow lawmaker to issue a public apology after his remarks on actress Anne Curtis, which some female lawmakers perceive as “offensive” and an “objectification of women”.

During the Tuesday deliberations of the House Committee on Justice, Suntay defended Vice President Sara Duterte’s past statement that she “imagined” herself “cutting” the head of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by saying he himself experienced having “desire” upon seeing Curtis in public, but he could only “imagine” what could happen.

Garbriela Party List Rep. Sarah Elago denounced Suntay’s remark on the actress, saying “there is no place for sexism and objectification of women by public officials”.

“Hindi katanggap-tanggap ang kanyang pahayag at dapat siya maglabas ng public apology. Ang pagbabahagi ng kanyang imahinasyon tungkol sa isang babae—anumang dahilan—ay tahasang pambabastos at pag-objectify sa kababaihan,” she said in a statement.

“We stand firmly with women in denouncing this behavior from those in positions of power. There is no place for sexism and objectification of women by public officials. We will continue to demand respect, uphold women’s dignity, and push for accountability ,” Elago added.

House Committee on Women and Gender Equality Chairperson Ann Matibag also condemned Suntay’s remarks on Curtis, which she described as “sexist”.

“Hindi ito simpleng biro o harmless na komento. Ang pagre-reduce sa isang babae bilang object of sexual imagination, lalo na sa isang opisyal na pagdinig, ay tahasang sexist at nakakahiya,” Matibag said.

“Wala itong lugar sa anumang institusyong dapat nagtataguyod ng respeto at propesyonalismo. Public office demands discipline and accountability,” she added.

Matibag stressed that freedom of speech is “never a free pass for misogyny”.

“Hindi namin ito palalagpasin. Hindi namin ito ino-normalize. Patuloy naming ipaglalaban ang dignidad at karapatan ng kababaihan sa loob at labas ng Kongreso,” she noted.

In a separate statement, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte also called on Sunday to take full accountability for his remarks and issue an apology.

“I urge Congressman Bong Suntay to apologize for the inappropriate remarks that he made at a recent House committee hearing.

His words directly contradict the spirit of empowerment that we have worked hard to build here 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.

“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 also said.

Suntay’s remark was stricken off the House panel records upon the motion of Committee Vice Chairperson Ysabel Maria Zamora.

In a chance interview after the hearing, Suntay claimed “there was nothing wrong” with his remark.

“Only a dirty mind can impute something which is dirty,” he claimed. (V. Gulla/abs-cbn)