MANILA — The House of Representatives has directed its committee on ethics and privileges to assess the lewd remarks made by Quezon City Rep. Bong Suntay about actress and television host Anne Curtis during a recent impeachment hearing.
The motion was introduced Wednesday by Assistant Majority Leader and San Juan Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora, who called for a thorough assessment of Suntay’s statements and required him to appear before the ethics panel. The motion was approved by Deputy Speaker Janette Garin without objection.
The controversy stemmed from remarks Suntay made during deliberations on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte. In defending Duterte, Suntay drew an analogy involving Curtis, saying that imagined thoughts alone cannot be penalized without an overt act.
Lawmakers, including Gabriela party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, criticized the statement as sexist and inappropriate, especially during National Women’s Month. Zamora also moved to strike the remarks from the official record.
Suntay later said his analogy may have been in bad taste but insisted it was taken out of context. He maintained that his focus was on legal principles related to the impeachment proceedings.
The ethics committee is expected to report its findings and recommendations to the House.
