Joy Belmonte has called on 4th District Rep. Jesus Manuel Suntay to apologize for remarks she described as “inappropriate” during a recent House committee hearing.
In a statement, Belmonte said the congressman’s comments amounted to the objectification of women and ran counter to Quezon City’s policies protecting women’s rights and dignity.
“I urge Congressman Bong Suntay to apologize for the inappropriate remarks that he made at a recent House committee hearing,” the mayor said.
The call came after Suntay publicly admitted during the House Committee on Justice hearing on the impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte that he had “imagined” actress Anne Curtis.
Suntay said he “felt the heat” upon seeing Curtis at a mall but maintained that he could not be charged since it was only his imagination. His remarks drew criticism from some committee members, who moved to have the statements stricken from the hearing records.
Belmonte expressed disappointment, noting that the incident occurred during Women’s Month.
“In this context, it is truly disappointing to witness Congressman Suntay’s casual display of objectification, on Women’s Month no less,” she said.
She also pointed out that Suntay, a former city council member, was part of the body that passed Quezon City’s Gender and Development Code.
Belmonte emphasized that the city has long prioritized the protection of women through measures such as the Gender and Development Code and the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which prohibits lewd, malicious, and demeaning remarks in public spaces.
She stressed that elected officials are expected to uphold these policies, which reflect the city’s values.
“Thus, it is clear to me: We must not hesitate to push back against any act that undermines the dignity of our women,” Belmonte said.
The mayor called on Suntay to “take full accountability, issue a proper apology, and conduct himself with the dignity” required by his office and by the city.
