Hindi tinatanggap ni Anne Curtis ang paghingi ng paumanhin ni Quezon City Representative Bong Suntay kaugnay ng mga pahayag nito sa kaniya, at sinabing tinitingnan na niya ang pagkuha ng legal na payo.

Sa kaniyang Facebook account nitong Sabado, binasag na ni Anne ang kaniyang katahimikan, na sinabing hindi siya nakapagsalita agad dahil nakatuon siya sa kaniyang pamilya na stranded sa Middle East.

“I am home now, and now 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," saad niya.

Kaugnay ng paghahalintulad ni Suntay na ang pagnanasa nito kay Anne ay kagaya rin ng sinabi ni Vice President Sara Duterte na may plano siya umanong ipapatay si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at pamilya nito, na hindi umano isang krimen, sinabi ni Anne na isa itong “vulgar, sexualized analogy.”

“My name disgustingly used without my consent, in the wrong context, and more importantly, without an ounce of respect,” sabi ng aktres.

“My initial reaction was one of shock. I was hurt, disturbed by how perverted it was, and angry,” pagpapatuloy ni Anne.

Ngayong mas malinaw na ang kaniyang isipan, sinabi ni Anne na ang pambabastos niyang naranasan, ang nararanasan ding pambabastos ng mga kababaihan araw-araw, mula opisina, group chat at mga kuwarto kung saan akala ng mga lalaki na walang nakaririnig sa kanila, o sadyang walang pakialam.

“What made this incident different is that it came from someone holding public office,” sabi niya.

“Mr. Suntay, I won't spend much time on you. Not because what you did was small, but because this was never really about you,” sabi niya.

“Since you used me as an example, let me use you as one too. You've become the poster boy of something much bigger: a culture that still thinks it's acceptable to talk about women this way. Worse, one that tolerates it from our leaders. As they say, misogyny dressed up as a joke is still misogyny,” pagpapatuloy ng It’s Showtime host.

Giit pa ni Anne, nakaupo si Suntay sa puwesto na pinasusuweldo ng mga taxpayer, kabilang ang mga kababaihan, kaya huwag silang gawing “props” sa kanilang mga komentaryo.

Dahil dito, hindi tinatanggap ni Anne ang paumanhin ni Suntay.

“I do not accept your non-apology. But I also will not carry this as a personal wound.”

Tinatanggap naman ni Anne ang paumanhin ng asawa ni Suntay na si Sheila Guevara Suntay.

“I do, however, accept your wife's apology,” sabi niya. “Because as a wife and a mother myself, I know exactly what she must be feeling — that particular kind of embarrassment, that helplessness, that quiet grief of watching someone choose so poorly in public.”

“To her, and to your children: this is not your shame. Please know that. And I hope everyone reading this extends them the same grace. They did nothing wrong, and they deserve to be left out of it entirely,” mensahe pa ni Anne kay Shiela at sa mga anak ni Suntay.

Nagsalita si Anne sa ngalan ng mga babaeng nakararanas din ng pambabastos.

“We deserve better. Not just now, while this topic is a hot issue, but EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Not just from Mr. Suntay. From all of it. From the casual sexism disguised as clever remarks. From public officials who forget who they serve. From a culture that still asks women to laugh it off, to not be so sensitive and to pick their battles.”

Sinabi ni Anne na sa tuwing hindi kinokompronta ang mga ganitong pahayag, ibinababa ng mga Pinoy ang antas ng pamantayan ng mga mamumuno.

At sa tuwing ang kada babae ay ibinababa sa pamamagitan ng ‘di kaaya-ayang pananalita ng isang nasa tungkulin at walang nangyayari, ipinararating lamang sa mga susunod na henerasyon ng mga kababaihan kung hanggang saan lamang sila.

“That is what I refuse to accept,” sabi ni Anne.

“Any leader who cannot respect women does not understand leadership at all. Respecting women, after all, is simply basic decency,” sabi niya.

Hinikayat ni Anne ang Kamara na huwag palampasin ang mga sinabi ni Suntay.

“To the ethics committee: I hope you do not let this pass. The integrity of public office depends on the standards it upholds.”

Para sa kaniyang parte, tinitingnan na rin ni Anne ang mga payong legal.

“I will be seeking legal advice and will consider all my options looking forward.”

“I cannot believe how many misogynists have revealed themselves the past couple of days. To everyone who used their voice to stand up for us and fight for our respect, both men and women, THANK YOU. and if anyone is wondering why Women's Month still matters - this is exactly why,” kaniyang pagtatapos.

Nauna na ring binatikos ng legal counsel ni Anne na Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra, ang mga pahayag ni Suntay.

"Recent remarks made during a congressional committee hearing, in which Ms. Curtis-Smith's name was mentioned in a lewd and objectifying manner, are clearly inappropriate and unacceptable," sabi ng Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra.

"No woman—whether a public figure or a private citizen—should be publicly spoken about in a way that reduces her to the subject of sexual commentary."

Inihayag ni Suntay ang pagkagusto niya umano kay Anne sa pagdinig ng Kamarasa mga nakabimbin na reklamong impeachment laban kay Bise Presidente Sara Duterte.

"Alam n'yo minsan, minsan nasa Shangri-La ako, 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’ng pwedeng mangyari pero siyempre hanggang imagination na lang 'yon. Pero 'di naman siguro ako pwedeng kasuhan kung ano ang na-imagine ko eh," sabi ni Suntay.

Inalmahan ito ng mga miyembro ng House Committee on Justice, at inalis ang kaniyang mga sinabi sa record. Humingi siya ng paumanhin kalaunan.

Maging ang asawa ni Suntay na si Sheila Guevara Suntay at mga anak nito, inalmahan ang pahayag ng mambabatas, at humingi ng paumanhin kay Anne.

"To Anne Curtis and her family—I am deeply sorry. No woman should ever be spoken about that way, and I understand if words alone feel insufficient. Please know that my heart goes out to you, and I stand with you," sabi niya.

"Every woman—regardless of who she is whose wife or daughter she may be or whatever her background—deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That is a value I hold deeply and will never compromise on," dagdag ni Shiela. — VBL GMA Integrated News