Sorry not sorry? Suntay regrets ‘pain’ caused by Anne Curtis remark but says analogy ‘effective’

Quezon City 4th District Representative Bong Suntay has apologized to all those who got “hurt” by his lewd remark involving actress Anne Curtis but does not regret making the analogy that has finally, he said, got him noticed by the media.

“Anne, that analogy was not meant [to be] malicious. It was an analogy based on the context of this (impeachment) proceeding. It may have been a bad taste for some, I apologize. Kung meron tayong sensitivities na tinamaan but it was not the intention (If we hurt some sensitivities, that was not the intention). The intention was to make a point that oftentimes, statements are taken out of context and conclusions are made. ‘Yun ang unang punto,” Suntay said in a media interview on Wednesday, March 4.

He said his second point was to stress that “desires and imagination cannot be made an impeachable offense.” He made the misogynistic analogy while defending Vice President Sara Duterte’s kill threat against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the March 3 impeachment hearing against Duterte.

He argued that his remarks on evoking a sexual fantasy about Curtis and how he did not act on this “desire” was “taken out of context,” and supposedly further proved his point. The House justice committee had struck his statement from the record following a motion by panel vice chair San Juan Representative Bel Zamora because of its misogynistic and lewd nature.

Suntay’s remarks drew criticism from several personalities, including Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Curtis’ sister, actress Jasmine Curtis, as well as various others, including the Philippine Commission on Women and even government unions who want him reprimanded.

Did Suntay regret making that analogy?

“Well, I regret na may nasaktan. But I don’t regret making that analogy kasi ngayon napansin ‘nyo na ang statement ko na ang dapat ang miyembro ng kumite should remain impartial,” Suntay said as he lamented how, before the incident, the media just ignored him.

(Well, I regret that some people were hurt. But I don’t regret making that analogy because now you’ve paid attention to my statement that members of the committee should remain impartial.)

His takeaway from this issue? “If you want to drive a point, you have to take a hit.” – Rappler.com