The House of Representatives has approved a formal ethics probe into Quezon City 4th District Rep. Bong Suntay following his lewd remarks about actress Anne Curtis during a justice committee hearing on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. Lawmakers condemned the comments as degrading to women and in violation of the Bawal Bastos law prohibiting catcalling and sexual harassment.
The controversy erupted during a House justice committee hearing where Suntay defended Duterte against allegations, including threats to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and others. Using an analogy, Suntay argued that his 'desire' or imagination about Anne Curtis should not incur legal liability, comparing thoughts to actual acts.
House Assistant Majority Leader Ysabel Maria Zamora, vice chair of the justice committee, immediately objected and moved to strike the statement from the record.
In a plenary session, Rep. Ann Matibag, chair of the House committee on women from Laguna's 1st District, delivered a privilege speech condemning the remarks and urging referral to the ethics committee. There were no objections to the motion to investigate and summon Suntay.
Matibag stated, 'This issue is not just about the law. It is about the culture of respect we want to uphold in our society. Let us be clear: a woman is not a joke, nor is she a fantasy, and the dignity of women should never be made a laughingstock inside Congress.'
Rep. Sarah Jane Elago from the Gabriela Party-list added, 'When a member of Congress speaks in a way that objectifies women, the harm extends far beyond. There are real-life consequences for women who experience various forms of abuse and discrimination every day.'
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with a Rappler podcast titled 'Order in the Court: Mr. Congressman, lewd remarks are not a compliment' by reporter Jairo Bolledo highlighting the disturbance caused by the comments. The podcast emphasized that catcalling and sexual remarks are prohibited under the Bawal Bastos law and are never compliments.
The event occurred recently in Manila, Philippines, underscoring broader societal opposition to sexual harassment.