Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the controversial remark made by Quezon City 4th District Rep. Jesus “Bong” Suntay about actress Anne Curtis could fall under the Safe Spaces Act, stressing that publicly expressing sexual fantasies about a particular woman may constitute a sexual innuendo punishable under the law.

Castro said this after Suntay compared a supposed threat by Vice President Sara Duterte against President Marcos to him imagining things after seeing the actress in a commercial establishment.

“Minsan nasa Shangri-La ako. Nakita ko si Anne Curtis. Ang ganda-ganda pala niya. You know, may desire sa loob ko na, nag-init talaga, na-imagine ko na lang kung ano’ng pwedeng mangyari pero siyempre hanggang imagination na lang ’yon. Pero ‘di naman siguro ako puwedeng kasuhan kung ano ang na-imagine ko, eh (I saw Anne Curtis once at Shangri-La— she was so beautiful). You know, there was a desire inside me, and it really got hot. I could just imagine what could happen, but, of course, that was just imagination. But I guess I can't be sued for what I imagined),” he had said.

In her press briefing on Wednesday, March 4, Castro said Suntay’s remarks—which drew backlash amid the commemoration of Women’s Month—are covered by the Safe Spaces Act, which penalizes gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, including remarks, gestures, or statements that are sexual in nature and directed at a specific person.

“Kapag ito’y ibinulalas niya at ipinagmalaki sa publiko ang kaniyang pagpapantasya sa isang babae, this is definitely a sexual innuendo (If he blurts it out and boasts in public about fantasizing about a woman, this is definitely a sexual innuendo),” she said.

“The mere fact na sinabi niya ito (that he said it) in public, to the public pertaining to a particular person, it is already covered by the Safe Spaces Act,” she added.

Castro explained that private thoughts may not constitute a crime, but expressing such fantasies publicly changes the situation.

“Ang pag-i-imagine o pagpapantasya sa isang babae kung ito ay nasa isip lamang hindi natin masasabing ito’y krimen… pero kapag ito’y ibinulalas niya at ipinagmalaki sa publiko… hindi po ito masasabing walang krimen (Imagining or fantasizing about a woman, if it remains only in one’s mind, cannot be considered a crime… but if it is expressed and even boasted about in public, it cannot be said that there is no crime),” she said.

Castro said she was offended by the remark as a woman, particularly because it appeared to frame sexual fantasies about women as a compliment.

“Na-offend ako para sa lahat ng kababaihan lalo na kung ipagmamalaki pa na karangalan ng isang babae na siya ay pagpantasyahan (I was offended for all women, especially if it is even presented as an honor for a woman to be fantasized about),” she said.

She added that such statements should not be tolerated regardless of the speaker’s position.

“Magkaiba ba iyon kung ordinaryong tao ang gagawa o ang tao ay supposed to be isang honorable (Is it any different if an ordinary person said it or if it was said by someone who is supposed to be honorable)?” Castro asked.

Asked if the congressman’s apology would be enough, Castro said the remark had already been made publicly.

“Nagawa niya na, eh. Consummated na po (He has already done it. It has already been consummated),” she said, adding that it would be better if journalists asked Suntay’s wife for comment.

Castro also called for an end to the objectification of women in public discourse.

“Kababaihan, hindi dapat ginagawang paksa ng malaswang pananalita (Women should not be made the subject of obscene remarks),” she said.

“Let us end the culture of objectifying women,” she added.

The Palace official stressed that women should be respected and empowered rather than treated as objects of sexual fantasy.

“Ang kababaihan ay ginagabayan, inaangat, ginagalang, at hindi ginagawang paksa ng malaswang pagpapantasya na ipinagmamalaki pa sa publiko (Women should be guided, uplifted, and respected—not made the subject of obscene fantasies that are even proudly expressed in public),” she said.