House launches ethics probe into Bong Suntay after remarks on Anne Curtis

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March 5, 2026 | 12:47pm

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has ordered a formal ethics investigation into Rep. Bong Suntay (Quezon City, 4th District) after lawmakers condemned remarks he made during an impeachment hearing as degrading to women.

The plenary action came after  Rep. Ann Matibag (Laguna, 1st District), chair of the House women committee, delivered a privilege speech calling out Suntay and urging that the matter be referred to the ethics panel.

There were no objections to the motion to have Suntay be formally investigated and summoned by the ethics committee over his remarks.

What Suntay said

The controversy erupted during a hearing earlier this week by the House justice committee on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

Suntay, while defending Duterte against allegations that she threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other officials assassinated, used an analogy involving actress Anne Curtis. He argued that one's imagination concerning an individual — in this case, his "desire" for the actress — is not within the ambit of legal liability, and that thoughts alone should not be treated as real acts.

The remark drew immediate objections. House Assistant Majority Leader Ysabel Maria Zamora, who also serves as vice chair of the justice committee, moved to have the statement stricken from the record.

In her privilege speech, Matibag condemned Suntay's remarks and said it was degrading to women.

"Ang usaping ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa batas. Ito ay tungkol sa kultura ng respeto na nais nating itaguyod sa ating lipunan," she said. (This issue is not just about the law. It is about the culture of respect we want to uphold in our society.)

"Hayaan po nating maging malinaw: ang babae ay hindi biro, hindi rin siya pantasya, at ang dignidad ng kababaihan ay hindi kailanman dapat gawing katatawanan sa loob ng Kongreso," she added. (Let us be clear: a woman is not a joke, nor is she a fantasy, and the dignity of women should never be made a laughingstock inside Congress.)

Rep. Sarah Jane Elago (Gabriela Party-list) similarly warned that such remarks carry real-world consequences. 

"When a member of Congress speaks in a way that objectifies women, the harm extends far beyond. May real-life consequences ito sa mga babaeng nakakaranas ng iba't ibang porma ng abuso at diskriminasyon sa araw-araw," she said. 

(There are real-life consequences for women who experience various forms of abuse and discrimination every day.