Nelson Morales

AKTOR: 'No justification' for Suntay remarks on Anne Curtis

Article (news)

Anna Cerezo

ABS-CBN News

The League of Filipino Actors (AKTOR) slammed Wednesday the remarks made by Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay about actress-host Anne Curtis during a House committee hearing.In a statement posted on Facebook, AKTOR stressed such comments made towards women were not only “inappropriate and unacceptable” but also inexcusable.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1515168307278441%26set%3Da.514049264057022%26type%3D3&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="544" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>“Invoking a woman in a derogatory and sexualized manner in a formal public proceeding is deeply inappropriate and unacceptable. Regardless of intent, there is no justification for language that objectifies or degrades women — especially from those entrusted with public office,&quot; the group said.&quot;As the country observes National Women’s Month, this incident highlights the continuing need for gender sensitivity, respect, and accountability in our public spaces,&quot; it added.AKTOR added it “stands firmly against misogyny in all forms and will always defend the dignity and respect of our members.” On X (formerly Twitter), actress Jodi Sta. Maria likewise explained that even if the analogy was not meant to be malicious, its impact is not debatable — with many people, especially women, finding it offensive and degrading.“The analogy wasn’t malicious said the person who made the remark. But the impact was clear... it made people, most especially women feel disgusted and disrespected. If that kind of analogy was used to make a point it clearly reveals the mindset of the person who said it. That’s not something we should normalize,” she said. <div>Other celebs</div>A long list of personalities have expressed disgust over the remarks made by Suntay. A clip of the exchange shared online was flooded with comments many from celebrities voicing their outrage.Bianca Gonzalez-Intal slammed the behavior, writing, “Please let us not normalize this behavior. Disgusting, especially for a public servant.”Ivana Alawi  expressed her disappointment, addressing the congressman in the comments: “Position comes with responsibility. Lala mo.” Anne&#x27;s sister Jasmine Curtis Smith, meanwhile, said, “BASTOS.” Nadine Lustre took notice  of how other people seemingly tolerated the statement.“May mga nakangiti at natatawa tawa pa. kadiri,” she wrote.Actress Bela Padilla also called attention to the clip, noting, “Hindi nga naman siguro pwedeng kasuhan &#x27;yung imagination… pero pwede natin tandaan &#x27;tong video na &#x27;to for future reference.”<div>&#x27;Disgusting&#x27;</div>Other celebrities who did not holdback their distaste were  Kyline Alcantara and Barbie Imperial who commented “disgusting,” and “Yikes.”However, it was not only women who took offense. Male celebrities also showed disgust over the exchange in the comments section.Sponge Cola frontman Yael Yuzon commented on the video, writing, “Ang meta ah,” accompanied by a vomiting emoji.Meanwhile, Gary Valenciano and Joross Gamboa reacted by sharing emojis and a GIF expressing shock and embarrassment.On X, &quot;It’s Showtime&quot; host Amy Perez also expressed her disgust, writing, “Disgusting talaga” and “I’m so disappointed Mr. Representative.” She went on to defend her co-host and remind the public about what basic respect for women truly means.“Baka di nyo alam o nabasa pa…. Misogynistic comments are verbal, written, or digital expressions of hatred, contempt, or prejudice against women, often demeaning them through stereotypes, sexual objectification, or insults,” she said in her post.In another post on X, she wrote: ““Basic respect for women involves recognizing their inherent dignity, equality, and agency as human beings, not just polite courtesy. It requires active listening, valuing their opinions, ensuring their safety from objectification or harassment. #womensmonth.” &quot;It’s Showtime,&quot; meanwhile, made a simple post “Republic Act No. 11313 BAWAL BASTOS LAW SAFE SPACES ACT” on its Facebook page.

The League of Filipino Actors (AKTOR) slammed the remarks made by Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus 'Bong' Suntay about actress-host Anne Curtis.

The League of Filipino Actors (AKTOR) slammed the remarks made by Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus 'Bong' Suntay about actress-host Anne Curtis.