Belmonte calls for Suntay apology over lewd remarks

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte issued a statement last Tuesday night condemning the remarks of QC Fourth District Congressman Manuel “Bong” Suntay.

The statement was shared on Belmonte’s social media profile where she called on Suntay to provide a “proper apology” for his inappropriate pronouncements towards actress Anne Curtis on the same day.

“His words directly contradict the spirit of empowerment that we have worked hard to build here in Quezon City. Over the years, we have embraced the difficult work of establishing protections for women, constantly striving to honor their rights by creating safe spaces and opportunities for them,” her post read.

Belmonte noted that the city had policies and regulations in place that prohibited similar actions against women to happen within the city, laws that she said Suntay was a part of implementing as an integral part of the city council.

“He was the majority floor leader of the city council when we passed the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which declares that lewd, malicious, and demeaning remarks and acts have no place in public life,” she explained.

This ordinance passed in 2016 was said to have paved the way for the implementation of the national Safe Spaces Act of 2018 which safeguarded individuals from Gender-Based Sexual Harassment in public spaces and imposed a fine of between P1,000 to P100,000 depending on the offense.

Belmonte expressed that she expects officials like Suntay that represent and serve the interest of the city would act in a manner that abided by the laws that they are responsible for imposing.

“We must not hesitate to push back against any act that undermines the dignity of our women. We must continue to stand for their safety, dignity, and equality–without exception and without compromise,” she said.

Suntay caught flak from multiple congressmen as well as Jasmine Curtis-Smith, sister of Anne, for his “analogy” during a house hearing on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

His statement described how he supposedly fantasized about the actress and how a person could not be charged for a crime for merely imagining something to happen.

The QC congressman was engaged in an ambush interview this Wednesday by reporters where though seemingly apologetic for his remarks, he maintained that what he said was merely an “analogy” and that his remarks were “taken out of context.”

“May mga tao siguro that found the statement, analogy in bad taste…nating makasakit with that analogy, kung may masaktan humihingi tayo ng dispensa,” Suntay explained.

“Kay miss Anne Curtis din, kung nasaktan siya sa sinabi, uulitin ko there was no malice intended…it was a fictitious situation, ating ginawa, at isa lang ang totoo dun, yung sinabi kong ang ganda ganda niya,” he added.