BTW, Bong Suntay Didn't Get Suspended After His Remarks About Anne Curtis Drew Backlash

Every March, Women's Month serves as a celebration of women's achievements, resilience, and contributions to society. But this year, it also became a stark reminder of why the fight for respect, equality, and accountability remains far from over.

Three months after Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus "Bong" Suntay drew public backlash for making sexist remarks involving actress Anne Curtis, the House of Representatives has decided not to suspend him.

On June 3, the House voted 263-8 with seven abstentions to adopt the recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges. While the committee found Suntay guilty of "disorderly behavior" and conduct unbecoming of a member of Congress, lawmakers settled with ordering him to issue a public apology to Anne and Filipino women through broadcast media, perform community service, and undergo gender sensitivity training.

In case you need a refresher, the controversy began on March 3 during a House Committee on Justice hearing discussing the impeachment complaint against former Vice President Sara Duterte, where Suntay used Anne in an analogy.

"Alam mo minsan, nasa Shangri-La ako, nakita ko si Anne Curtis, ang ganda-ganda pala niya...May desire sa loob ko na nag-init talaga at na-imagine ko na lang ang puwedeng mangyari," he said during the hearing. He added that he could not be charged for what he merely imagined.

The comments were immediately met with criticism online, pointing out that the analogy reflected a long-standing mindset that still reduces women to sexual fantasies. The following day, Suntay issued an apology "to those who were offended," insisting that there was no malicious intent behind his remarks. However, it was widely criticized as a non-apology by women's rights advocates and various groups.

Anne also broke her silence through an Instagram Story, making it clear that she was not accepting the apology. "I do not accept your non-apology. But I also will not carry this as a personal wound," she wrote. "I'm ready to say what needs to be said. Not for revenge or drama, but because remaining silent would be wrong... for me, and for every woman watching."

Despite the public pressure, the recent House tally showed that many can still tolerate this kind of behavior. The decision left many critics feeling that this kind of behavior still goes insufficiently penalized. Whether it was intended as an analogy or not was never the point. The real issue is the mindset we're still trying to move away from.

Even after the ruling, Suntay later referenced the controversy during a plenary session while defending Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga from possible expulsion. During a later plenary session while defending Cavite 4th District Rep. Kiko Barzaga from possible expulsion, he referenced his own ethics case and thanked colleagues who helped him avoid suspension.

"I, too, once experienced going through the ethics committee and faced the risk of suspension because of an analogy I shared during a committee deliberation. I am grateful to my colleagues who stood up to prevent me from being penalized with suspension," he said.

Since the March incident, many public figures, advocates, and ordinary Filipinos have been outspoken, including Actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Anne's very own sister.

"When a congressman publicly narrates his 'desire' and imagination about a woman he once saw (or claims he saw, with statements that kept changing), it reinforces a culture that treats women as consumable, as spectacle, as fantasy, as objects for commentary rather than as whole human beings with agency, intellect, and autonomy," she wrote in her Instagram Story.

She also stressed that leadership in public office should go beyond legislation and extend to setting the right example for society. "Public office carries with it the responsibility to elevate discourse, not diminish it. The halls of government should be spaces where women are discussed for their contributions, their ideas, and their leadership—not as imagined scenarios."

When sexist remarks from people in positions of power are dismissed, they risk reinforcing a culture where disrespect toward women is treated as normal. Just last year, Philippine National Police data showed thousands of cases of violence against women and children recorded within just a few months from August to November, while global and local studies continue to show that millions of women experience abuse and gender-based violence at some point in their lives.

These ongoing issues are part of why stronger protections continue to be pushed forward, including the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act (a.k.a. RA No. 11313 or "Bawal Bastos Law"), which penalizes gender-based harassment such as catcalling, sexist remarks, unwanted sexual comments, and other forms of harassment in both physical and online spaces.

It can sometimes feel like one step forward, two steps back—but the growing number of women, allies, and advocates speaking up shows the shift is real. And that collective refusal to stay silent is still progress worth holding on to.