Bong Suntay faces complaint at Ombudsman over remarks on Anne Curtis

MANILA, Philippines – Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay faces a new complaint, this time before the Office of the Ombudsman, over his lewd remarks about actress Anne Curtis.

Nine complainants from groups such as the World March of Women (WMW)-Pilipinas and Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa-Women jointly submitted a complaint affidavit at the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday, March 6.

They accused Suntay of violating Republic Act No. 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act, RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women, RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, and the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers.

Suntay has been drawing flak for suggesting he had a sexual fantasy about Curtis. The congressman was speaking during the House impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday, March 3.

Suntay later claimed he was merely making an analogy to defend the Vice President’s threat to kill President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., but his fellow lawmakers, celebrities, women’s rights advocates, and ordinary citizens have pointed out that misogyny has no place in society.

“Sa ilalim ng [Safe Spaces Act], malinaw po na hindi mahalaga ang intensiyon. Kahit sinasabi niya na walang malisya kuno, ito po ay malum prohibitum (offense prohibited by statute). In and of itself, ito ay isang krimen,” said WMW-Pilipinas national coordinator Jean Enriquez, one of the complainants.

(Under the Safe Spaces Act, it’s clear that intention does not matter. Even if he says he supposedly meant no malice, this is malum prohibitum. In and of itself, it is a crime.)

Enriquez added: “Hindi po sapat ang apology. Hindi po sapat na tinanggal sa records ng Congress itong mga sinabi niya.” (An apology is not enough. Striking out his statement from Congress records is also not enough.)

The issue rings louder as March is Women’s Month. Jelen Paclarin, Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau executive director and one of the complainants, condemned disrespect of women.

“Panagutin natin ang lahat ng mga bastos, hindi lamang sa gobyerno kundi sa ating lipunan…. Call out men who commit sexual harassment,” Paclarin said.

(Let’s hold all vulgar people accountable, not only those in government but also in our society as a whole. Call out men who commit sexual harassment.)

On Thursday, March 5, Suntay’s wife Sheila Guevara apologized to Curtis in an online post.

Her statement read: “My children and I do not agree with, and we do not condone, the analogy made by Bong…. To Anne Curtis and her family — I am deeply sorry. No woman should ever be spoken about that way, and I understand if words alone feel insufficient.”

Suntay faces a separate ethics complaint filed by Gabriela Women’s Party and the Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan at the House of Representatives on Thursday.

On Wednesday, March 4, the House authorized the ethics committee to investigate the congressman’s remarks. – Rappler.com