The wife of Representative Jesus ‘Bong’ Suntay, issued a public apology to actress and television host Anne Curtis and distanced herself from the controversial remarks made by the lawmaker during a House hearing.

In a statement on Thursday night, March 5, Sheila said she and her children do not condone the analogy used by Suntay, which sparked criticism online and from fellow lawmakers.

“I want to be unequivocally clear: My children and I do not agree with, and we do not condone, the analogy made by Bong,” she said.

She also denied claims circulating on social media that she laughed and approved of the remarks.

“The news circulating, that I laughed and therefore approved of what was said is false, and I will not allow that narrative to stand unchallenged,” she said.

Addressing Curtis and her family directly, Guevara expressed regret over the controversy.

“To Anne Curtis and her family — I am deeply sorry. No woman should ever be spoken about that way, and I understand if words alone feel insufficient. Please know that my heart goes out to you, and I stand with you,” she said.

She emphasized that she strongly believes in respect for women.

“Every woman — regardless of who she is, whose wife or daughter she may be, or whatever her background — deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That is a value I hold deeply and will never compromise on,” she added.

The solon’s wife also appealed to the public and the media to leave her children out of the controversy.

“I also make this appeal with all sincerity: please leave me and my children out of this. We are not public figures. My children are children,” she said.

“No mother should have to watch her children be targeted and harassed for something they had no part in. I humbly ask the public and media to respect that boundary.”

The controversy sparked from remarks made by Suntay during a hearing of the House Committee on Justice on impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During the hearing, the Quezon City lawmaker cited Curtis in an analogy about “desire” and imagination.

“Alam niyo minsan, 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 pwedeng kasuhan kung ano ang na-imagine ko eh(You know, once, I was in Shangri-La, I saw Anne Curtis, she was so beautiful. You know, there was a desire inside me, 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 said.

Suntay later apologized to Curtis and others who were offended, saying he did not intend any malice.

“While may mga tao siguro that found the analogy in bad taste, doon sa mga na-offend, inuulit ko, walang malice doon sa pagnanais nating gawin doon sa statement na yun (While there may be people who found the analogy in bad taste, to those who were offended, I repeat, there is no malice in our desire to make that statement),”he told reporters on the sidelines of a committee hearing.

“Ayaw nating makasakit doon sa ating analogy. But kung may nasaktan, humihingi tayo ng dispensa. Kay Ms. Anne Curtis rin kung nasaktan siya sa sinabi, I repeat, there was no malice intended at ako ay humihingi ng dispensa sa kanya (We don't want to offend anyone with our analogy. But if someone is offended, we apologize. To Ms. Anne Curtis too, if she was offended by what was said, I repeat, there was no malice intended and I apologize to her),” he added.

Suntay said the example he gave was a “fictitious situation,” noting that the only true part was his compliment on Curtis’ beauty, and he admitted he had only seen the actress on television.

The remarks drew criticism from several lawmakers and public officials, including Mayor Joy Belmonte, who urged the congressman to take responsibility and issue a proper apology.

“I urge Congressman Bong Suntay to apologize for the inappropriate remarks that he made at a recent House committee hearing,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte said the comments contradict the Quezon City government’s advocacy for women’s rights and protection.

“In this context, it is truly disappointing to witness Congressman Suntay’s casual display of objectification, on Women’s Month no less,” she said.

The mayor also noted that Suntay had served in the city council when Quezon City passed policies promoting women’s rights, including the Bawal Bastos Ordinance, which penalizes lewd and demeaning remarks.

“Our policies are a declaration of our city’s values — of what we stand for and what we refuse to tolerate. We expect our elected officials to be the first to live by them,” Belmonte said.

The justice panel has since struck Suntay’s remarks from the official record of the hearing.