Jasmine Curtis-Smith stresses importance of teaching boys at an early age to respect women

Jasmine Curtis-Smith underscored the importance of teaching boys at an early age to respect and support women. 

According to Saleema Refran's report on "24 Oras" Friday, the Kapuso actress refrained from giving further comment about Quezon City Representative Bong Suntay's remarks about her sister, Anne Curtis. 

She, instead, expressed her gratitude to supporters and emphasized the importance to educate boys from a young age about respect. 

"Sana po turuan natin ang mga batang lalake, mula bata pa lang turuan natin sila kung ano ang importansya sa pagrerespeto, sa pagbibigay-pugay, sa pag-a-appreciate, at hindi lang 'yun, pagsusuporta sa mga kababaihan," she said. 

Per Refran's report, Jasmine also did not give a comment on Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, who defended Suntay's remarks and recently called Jasmine out for her bikini pictures on social media.

"Ikaw Jasmine, bakit ka nagpopost ng mga bikini pictures mo sa social media? Sa mga pahayagan? Hindi ba para ika'y pagnasaan? Para ikaw ay sumikat? 'Wag mong sabihing art 'yun?" Topacio had said on his radio program. 

"Lalaki 'yan eh, 'wag na tayong magplastikan, ang mga lalaki nagnanasa 'yan talaga. We are wired for that. Let's not be hypocrites. Ako dati pinagnasaan ko rin si Sarah Elago eh. Eh naamoy ko nung hearing namin sa [Department of Justice]. Magalit na kayo kung magagalit sa akin, I don't care," he added. 

Jasmine had shared on Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories on Thursday the clip of Topacio making such comments. 

"Yowwwww what the actual?????? What the!!!! Dugyot ka!" she wrote. 

The Gabriela Women's Party also condemned Topacio's remarks and is studying its possible legal steps against the lawyer. 

Bong Suntay's remarks

On Tuesday, Suntay verbalized his apparent desire for Anne Curtis during the House of Representatives proceedings on the pending impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte and used it as an analogy in defense of Duterte's previous remarks about being the "designated survivor" when she skipped the State of the Nation Address in 2024.

"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," Suntay had said.

Suntay was called out by members of the House Committee on Justice, and his remarks were later struck from record. He later issued an apology. 

Jasmine called out Suntay for his comments and said the issue is about all women. The actresses' mother, Carmen, likewise hit back at Suntay for his remarks. More celebrities also took to social media to express their disapproval and disgust. 

In a statement on Thursday, Suntay's wife, Sheila Guevara Suntay, distanced herself and her children from the lawmaker's remarks. She also apologized to Curtis and her family for his remarks about the actress. 

On Friday, Anne Curtis' legal counsel, Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra, denounced Suntay's comments about the actress via a statement on its Facebook page. 

In their statement, Curtis' legal counsel called Suntay's remarks "inappropriate and unacceptable." 

"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," said 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." 

—CDC, GMA Integrated News