Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Karen Davila, other personalities call out Bong Suntay over Anne Curtis remarks
Celebrities, journalists, and politicians have taken to social media to call out Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay over his controversial remarks on Anne Curtis.
Suntay made inappropriate comments about Curtis during a recent House hearing on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. According to him, the VP's past statements against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., including the former saying she imagined cutting off the latter's head in 2024, were "not illegal." He added, "Siguro nagpapatawa lang siya."
Suntay then shared an anecdote of how one cannot be charged over their "imagination."
"Minsan, nasa Shangri-la 'ko. Nakita ko si Anne Curtis. Ang ganda-ganda pala niya. You know, may desire sa loob ko na nag-init talaga. Na-imagine ko na lang kung ano pwedeng mangyari. Pero siyempre hanggang imagination na lang 'yon. Pero hindi naman siguro ako pwedeng kasuhan dahil kung anu-ano na-imagine ko," Suntay said.
In a subsequent radio interview on March 4, Suntay apologized to those he offended, without naming Curtis specifically, but maintained his stance that there was nothing malicious about his remarks.
In a series of Instagram Stories, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Anne's younger sister, shared her indignation.
"Nothing honorable about a man who makes remarks about women that way. Praying for your wife and daughters. May they never hear things like that said about them," Curtis-Smith wrote as she shared Linya-Linya's post that said, "Nakakainit ng ulo at ng dugo ang mga taong walang habas na ipinangangalandakan ang kabastusan sa mga kababaihan."
"Bong Suntay, would you want men talking about your daughters this way? The fact that you don't find your statement as immoral is absolutely disgusting!" Curtis-Smith added in another post.
Curtis-Smith also wrote, "When a congressman publicly narrates his 'desire' and imagination about a woman he once saw (or dreams he saw, idk his statements keep 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."
The actress also called for Suntay to resign, posting a photo of the congressman with a "Resign" tag placed over his eyes.
Senator Risa Hontiveros also raised her voice against Suntay.
On Facebook, she wrote, "Rep. Bong Suntay must apologize and make the necessary amends to Ms. Anne Curtis. There is absolutely no excuse for his repulsive remarks."
"Ang mas nakakabahala, patuloy pa niyang iginigiit na walang mali sa kanyang sinabi. The Representative must be reminded that under the Bawal Bastos Law, which I authored, gender-based harassment is punishable. Statements of sexual comments and suggestions can be penalized. As a lawmaker, he should know this. More importantly, he is duty-bound to uphold it," Hontiveros added.
In a statement, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte called for Suntay to issue a proper apology.
"I urge Congressman Bong Suntay to apologize for the inappropriate remarks that he made at a recent House committee hearing," Belmonte wrote.
"His words directly contradict the spirit of empowerment that we have worked hard to build here in Quezon City," the mayor continued.
"It is truly disappointing to witness Congressman Suntay's casual display of objectification, on Women's Month no less. But what makes this incident especially troubling is the fact that, as a former member of our City Council, he was part of the body that passed our Gender and Development Code," Belmonte wrote.
Suntay was the majority floor leader of the city council when it passed the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which criminalizes lewd and malicious remarks made publicly.
"We call on Congressman Suntay to take full accountability for this remarks, issue a proper apology, and conduct himself with the dignity that his office—and our city—demand," Belmonte said.
Echoing Belmonte's call for an apology was veteran broadcast journalist Karen Davila.
On X, she wrote, "A congressman. A representative of the people. Paid by the people. A husband, a father with daughters. Without the consciousness, knowledge, or decency of how women should be talked about. Please keep your sick thoughts to yourself."
"More than striking his comments off the record, he should apologize. Women's Month pa talaga," Davila added.
A congressman. A representative of the people. Paid by the people. A husband, a father with daughters.
— Karen Davila (@iamkarendavila) March 3, 2026
Without the consciousness, knowledge or decency of how women should be talked about. Please keep your sick thoughts to yourself.
More than striking his comments off the… pic.twitter.com/JBW1kYPU4Q
She underscored her message on TV Patrol during the closing spiel of the primetime broadcast on March 3, saying many continue to not be aware that some comments are already misogynistic.
"Dapat 'wag na natin tanggapin 'yung minsan biro-biro lang. Ang tagal na nating tinanggap 'yun. Mali po 'yun," said Davila.
"Tandaan po ng mga kongresista... binabayaran kayo ng taumbayan. Hindi kayo nandyan para magpa-cute. Wala kaming pakialam sa init ng kalooban ninyo. Do your job well. Nakakagalit," she continued.
"Sana mapagalitan ng asawa pag-uwi," Davila added.
Journalist Atom Araullo added his objections on social media.
"If the honorable congressman thinks those remarks belong in the halls of Congress, one can only imagine what passes for normal conversation in private, especially when women aren’t in the room," he wrote on Facebook.
"What followed was even worse: intellectual dishonesty and refusal to engage with criticism. The familiar playbook of strongman politics that seems to be spreading everywhere these days," Araullo added.
Sharing her thoughts in a series of posts on X, TV host Bianca Gonzalez-Intal wrote, "Please let us not normalize this behavior. Disgusting, especially for a public servant."
Sharing Araullo's post, Gonzalez Intal added, "The fact that there is no remorse, no clue as to why what he said was offensive and inappropriate, and even commented in an interview that 'she should take my remark as a compliment' is what makes this disgusting comment even more disgusting."
She also continued Araullo's statement, which wondered how conversations go when women aren't in the room.
"...and even what is said when women, especially those in less powerful positions, are also in the room," Gonzalez Intal wrote.
Actress Gabbi Garcia wrote on X, "If you hold power, act like it. Objectifying women, even in passing remarks, is unacceptable. We are not here to be reduced to someone's imagination. Nakakadiri."
Curtis has yet to issue a statement on the matter, as of writing.
