Quezon City Rep. Jesus ‘Bong’ Suntay’s fellow San Beda University alumni are demanding that the school revoke the Distinguished Alumnus award the lawmaker received last Sunday following his lewd public remarks at a congressional hearing on Tuesday.
In a petition posted in alumni group chats and also on change.org, Suntay’s fellow Bedans said his remarks are “diametrically opposed” to the school’s moral values.
“The basis for this call stems from Mr. Suntay’s recent conduct during a Congressional hearing, where he issued a deeply misogynistic and derogatory statement directed at a female public personality,” the petition reads.
“Such language is not only an affront to the dignity of women but serves to degrade the very institution of the House of Representatives (HOR),” it adds.
Suntay, in his defense of ally Sara Duterte during the Committee on Justice deliberation on the third impeachment complaint against the vice president, talked about his “unspoken sexual desires” upon seeing actor Anne Curtis in a Manila mall.
He said that like his fantasies, the vice president did not really mean to carry out her assassination threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos and former HOR Speaker and presidential cousin Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
Suntay’s remarks, as well as his attempts to defend himself in subsequent media interviews, did not go well with fellow Bedans.
“A Bedan award is not merely a recognition of professional success; it is a testament to an individual’s embodiment of the Benedictine hallmarks of community, stewardship, and respect,” the petition explains.
“Revoking this award is not an act of malice but an act of institutional integrity. It is a necessary step to reaffirm that San Beda University remains a sanctuary of respect and a molder of men and women who lead with heart, not with vitriol,” the alumni petition reads.
Suntay was awarded the Ramon V. Mitra for Legislation in a grand ceremony honoring dozens of San Beda alumni at the Manila Hotel last Sunday. Mitra was a former HOR speaker and also an alumnus of the Catholic school.
Suntay was a San Beda College of Law graduate in 1996.
‘Profane, shameful’
Suntay’s remark was also immediately called out by other HOR members and demanded that it be stricken off the record.
Justice committee vice chairperson Ysabel Maria Zamora pointed out that Suntay’s comparison is not only inappropriate but ironic, coming as it did on the country’s observance of Women’s Month this March.
Zamora said that such thoughts “do not empower women.”
Other members of the committee, including Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, insisted on removing the “sexist utterance” from the hearing records.
Suntay’s remarks also raised the hackles of other legislators and the city he represents.
Gabriela Women’s Party List Representative Sarah Elago denounced his colleague’s remark about the popular actor, saying “there is no place for sexism and objectification of women by public officials.”
“His remark is unacceptable and he should publicly apologize. Sharing his thoughts about a women, for whatever reason, is profane and is an objectification of women,” Elago fumed.
HOR Committee on Women and Gender Equality Chairperson Ann Matibag also condemned Suntay, saying his comment is not a joke or a harmless comment.
“Reduction of a women to a mere object of sexual imagination, especially in an official hearing, is plain sexist and shameful,” Matibag said.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte meanwhile urged Suntay to apologize for his inappropriate argumentation.
“His words directly contradict the spirit of empowerment that we have worked hard to build here in Quezon City,” Belmonte said, recalling that as city councilor, Suntay had a hand in passing the city’s safe spaces ordinance.
Suntay however justified his remarks by saying that only those with “dirty minds” would ascribe malice to his arguments defending Duterte.
In a television interview on Tuesday night, Suntay further said Curtis should take his remarks as a “compliment.”# (Raymund B. Villanueva)
