Women's rights groups have filed a formal complaint against Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay at the Office of the Ombudsman over his lewd remarks about actress Anne Curtis, made during March 3 impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. This follows the House's approval of an ethics probe into the incident.
Building on the controversy sparked by Rep. Bong Suntay's (Quezon City 4th District) March 3 remarks—comparing his alleged sexual fantasy about actress Anne Curtis to VP Sara Duterte's statements about President Marcos—the Office of the Ombudsman received a complaint on March 6 from nine members of groups including World March of Women (WMW)-Pilipinas and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa-Women.
The affidavit accuses Suntay of violating the Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313), Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710), Code of Conduct for Public Officials (RA 6713), and the Code of Professional Responsibility for lawyers.
"Under the Safe Spaces Act, intention does not matter. Even if he says he meant no malice, this is malum prohibitum," said Jean Enriquez, WMW-Pilipinas national coordinator and complainant.
She emphasized: “An apology is not enough. Striking out his statement from Congress records is also not enough.”
Jelen Paclarin of the Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau added: “Let’s hold all vulgar people accountable... Call out men who commit sexual harassment.”
Suntay's wife, Sheila Guevara, apologized publicly on March 5, stating her family does not condone the remarks.
Separately, Gabriela Women’s Party and Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan filed a House ethics complaint on March 5, after the House authorized an investigation on March 4. The Ateneo Human Rights Center affirmed liability under the Safe Spaces Act and Magna Carta. Reps. Sarah Jane Elago and Ma. Ann Lourdes Matibag voiced support, highlighting harm to women.
