From Palace to City Hall, Suntay reaps a storm
Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay is facing a storm of criticism from Malacañang to City Hall over his lewd remarks about actress Anne Curtis. The comments, which drew flak from his own colleagues, have sparked outrage and been widely condemned, particularly on behalf of women.
Quezon City Representative Bong Suntay sparked widespread controversy on March 3, 2026, during a House justice committee hearing on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. While defending Duterte's past statements about imagining violence against President Marcos Jr., Suntay made lewd remarks about actress Anne Curtis, stating he saw her at Shangri-La hotel and said: 'Ang ganda pala niya. You know, my desire sa loob ko, na nag-init talaga. Na-imagine ko na lang kong ano'ng puweding mangyari, pero siyempre hanggang imagination na lang 'yon.' He used this analogy to argue that Duterte's comments were not illegal since mere thoughts or words cannot be penalized.
The remarks drew immediate condemnation from fellow lawmakers. Rep. Isabel Jora successfully moved to strike the comments from the official record, describing them as offensive and objectifying women. The House committee on women and gender equality demanded an apology, with Gabriela Rep. Sarah Elago calling it 'pambabastos at pag-objectify sa kababaihan.' The House ethics panel was subsequently tapped to investigate the incident, marking an official disciplinary process against Suntay.
Public backlash was swift and severe. Anne Curtis's sister, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, condemned Suntay on Instagram Stories with a 'Resign' tag over his photo. Anne's mother, Carmen Curtis, slammed the remarks, while Senator Risa Hontiveros demanded a full apology, stating there was 'absolutely no excuse for his repulsive remarks.' Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte urged a proper apology, noting it contradicted women's empowerment efforts. Journalist Karen Davila highlighted the misogyny in such 'jokes' during her TV Patrol segment.
Suntay issued a radio apology to those offended but did not specifically name Anne Curtis. He stood by his analogy as non-malicious or sexual, claiming only a 'dirty mind' would interpret it that way. He expressed frustration that media focused on Curtis instead of the impeachment proceedings, yet noted the controversy amplified his point about the distinction between thoughts and actions. As of March 4, 2026, the ethics probe remains ongoing, with the incident drawing references to the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) against gender-based harassment in government.
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