Hell hath no fury like congresswomen scorned.

Committee on Women and Gender Equality Chairperson Laguna 1st district Ann Matibag has asked the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to step in regarding the now infamous remarks made by Quezon City 4th district Rep. Jesus "Bong" Suntay wherein he allegedly "objectified" showbiz personality Anne Curtis.

Matibag raised the matter in a privilege speech Wednesday, March 4, a day after Suntay supposedly let his intrusive thoughts win in a public hearing of the Committee on Justice.

"Marami pong mga kababaihan ang nagpahayag ng kanilang damdamin--mga nanay, mga estudyante, mga propesyunal, at mga kabataang Pilipina--na nagsabing nasaktan sila sa paraang ang isang babae ay tila naging paksa ng biro o imahinasyon sa loob ng isang institusyong inaasahan nilang magtatanggol sa kanilang dignidad," Matibag said.

(Many women have expressed their feelings—mothers, students, professionals, and young Filipinas—saying they were hurt by the way a woman seemed to become the subject of a joke or imagination within an institution they expect to uphold their dignity.)

"Bilang isang mambabatas, bilang chairperson ng Committee on Women and Gender Equality, at higit sa lahat, bilang isang nanay ng dalawang batang babae, hindi ko po maaring ipag walang-bahala ang damdaming ito," she noted.

(As a legislator, as chairperson of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality, and above all, as a mother of two young daughters, I cannot simply disregard these sentiments.)

With Suntay in attendance in plenary, Matibag continued: "May I respectfully review all [that] happened, request the majority floor leader to refer this matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, to conduct [a] hearing in the soonest possible time, and to require the attendance of the concerned parties."

Matibag conspicuously didn't mention Suntay by name, although everybody knew who she was talking about.

Assistant Majority Leader San Juan City lone district Rep. Ysabel Maria Zamora confirmed this when she singled out Suntay in an ensuing motion.

"I move to authorize the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to schedule a meeting to first, conduct a thorough assessment on the actuations and statements of Rep. Jesus "Bong" C. Suntay relative to the question of privilege of Rep. Ann Matibag. Second, to require Rep. Suntay to appear in the hearing of the Committee. Third, to immediately report to the House its findings and recommendations after the scheduled hearing," Zamora said.

Deputy Speaker Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin, the presiding officer at that time, swiftly carried the motion after hearing no objections from House members.

Before this, Suntay, a deputy minority leader, spoke in plenary to reiterate his apology for those offended by his remarks, although he also continued to insist that they were "taken out of context".

To recall, the Quezon City lawmaker said Tuesday during the justice panel hearing: "Lastly, alam niyo 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 syempre hanggang imagination na lang ‘yon. Pero ‘di naman siguro ako pwedeng kasuhan kung ano ang na-imagine ko eh."

(Lastly, you know, one time I was at Shangri-La and I saw Anne Curtis, she’s really beautiful. Honestly, I felt a strong desire inside, I got heated, and I just imagined what could happen. But of course, it stayed only in my imagination. And I don’t think I could be charged for something I only imagined.)

Suntay said he merely wanted to prove a point that mere desire and imagination cannot equate to a wrongdoing, or--in the context of the justice panel hearings--an impeachable offense on the part of Vice President Sara Duterte.

"During the hearings I was arguing on principles but lawyers and legislators should know that a person cannot be held liable for mere thoughts, imaginations, or associations without an avert act. That is a legit argument in any criminal or constitutional discussion," he said in plenary.

"There was no malice intended and if there was malice that was deduced from that statements I wish to apologize," the lawyer-solon insisted. 

The plenary's tasking of the ethics panel to carry out a hearing came a day ahead of the expected filing of a formal ethics complaint by women's rights group Gabriela Party-list against Suntay.

Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, in her own speech in plenary, backed Matibag's call for accountability. "When a member of Congress speaks in a way that objectifies women, the harm extends far beyond," she said.

"This is also a matter of dignity and equality. Women are half of the people we represent—and many of them bear the heaviest burdens of poverty, high prices of goods, low wages, workplace harassment, and violence at home and in public spaces. If this Chamber cannot model basic respect, then we contribute to the normalization of harassment and discrimination everywhere else," noted Elago.

The House of Representatives is celebrating Women's Month this March.