Bong Suntay: “I think she should take it as a compliment.”
BONG SUNTAY – The Quezon City 4th District representative addressed the controversy surrounding his remarks about Anne Curtis during a House Committee on Justice hearing.
The discussion at the time focused on an impeachment complaint against Sara Duterte. In the middle of his explanation, Suntay shared a personal story about seeing Anne Curtis at a hotel and described her as very beautiful. He admitted that he imagined certain possibilities but said those thoughts remained only in his imagination.
His statement quickly drew criticism from fellow lawmakers, who said his comments were unrelated to the issue being discussed. Some members of the committee requested that the remark be removed from the official records of the hearing. Ysabel Maria Zamora pointed out that it was the start of National Women’s Month and said such comments were inappropriate, especially coming from a colleague in public office. Other lawmakers agreed with her position.
In a television interview, Suntay clarified that his statement was neither sexual nor immoral. He insisted that he was simply expressing admiration and that there was nothing wrong with saying that someone is beautiful. He explained that the situation he described was imaginary and harmless. According to him, calling Anne Curtis beautiful should be taken as a compliment.
The issue also gained attention outside Congress. Karen Davila publicly criticized Suntay on social media. She emphasized that, as an elected official paid by the public, he should speak with greater awareness and respect, especially toward women. She added that removing the statement from the official record was not enough and that an apology would have been more appropriate, particularly during Women’s Month.
As the controversy grew, Anne Curtis and her husband, Erwan Heussaff, began trending online, with many people waiting to see whether they would respond. As of now, no official statement has been released from their side.