Gabriela Women’s Partylist (GWP) Representative Sarah Elago filed a complaint against Atty. Ferdinand Topacio at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) office in Pasig City on March 12. This was after Topacio related a lewd story about her on his DWIZ radio program on March 5.

Topacio made the remark while defending Quezon City 4th district representative Bong Suntay, who also drew heavy criticism for his obscene comments about actress Anne Curtis.

“People like him (Topacio) should not be allowed to practice law while using the profession to insult women who stand up against abuse and corruption,” Elago said. “This is no surprise from a so-called lawyer with a long record of Red-tagging and disrespecting women.”

Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Co and ACT Teachers Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio called Topacio’s statement “a form of harassment and abuse cloaked in formal speech and professional credentials.” The House Committee on Women and Gender Equality also urged the IBP to investigate the lewd remarks against Elago.

Prior to the incident, both the Gabriela alliance and GWP condemned Suntay’s sexist remarks during a House Committee on Justice session on March 3. Suntay used his “fantasy” as an example to defend Sara Duterte’s threats to the life of Ferdinand Marcos Jr and others.

Former GWP representative and Makabayan Coalition president Liza Maza said Suntay’s treatment of women as “sex objects” clearly violates existing laws like the Magna Carta of Women and the Safe Spaces Act, which define the state as the principal defender of women’s rights against discrimination and violence.

Elago said such conduct (by Suntay) should not be tolerated, especially from elected officials expected to uphold respect and dignity in public discourse. She highlighted that governance and policy-making is no place for insults and objectification of women.

Suntay’s remarks reflect a broader problem of entrenched misogyny in society, which diminishes women’s dignity and reinforces destructive views about them, Elago added.