Anne Curtis' legal counsel denounces Suntay's remarks about actress: 'Inappropriate, unacceptable'

Anne Curtis' legal counsel, Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra, has denounced Quezon City Representative Bong Suntay's recent remarks about the actress. 

The statement was shared on the Facebook page of Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra on Friday. It was also aired on "24 Oras" on Friday evening. 

In the statement, Curtis' legal counsel called Suntay's recent 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." 

Curtis' legal counsel said that statements such as those made by Suntay are "degrading." 

"Statements of this nature are degrading and have no place in any forum, much less in proceedings of Congress where public officials are expected to uphold the dignity of others and maintain respectful public discourse," the statement read. 

Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra also noted that the importance of promoting respect and dignity for women has long been recognized in Philippine law. It cited statutes such as the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313) and the Magna Carte of Women (Republic Act No. 9710) as examples of the state's dedication to ensuring all women are treated with respect and dignity. 

"It is therefore especially unfortunate that these remarks surfaced during National Women's Month, a time when the nation is called upon to reaffirm its commitment to gender equality and the dignity of women," the statement read. 

"Let this moment serve as a reminder that women deserve respect everywhere. Language that demeans or objectifies women has no place in public discourse, particularly in spaces where words carry the weight of public trust." 

On Tuesday, Suntay verbalized his apparent desire for 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 Curtis-Smith, Anne's sister, 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. 

"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," she said.

"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," she added.

—CDC, GMA Integrated News