BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co (left), AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee (Facebook)

Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co says she will file this week an ethics complaint against her House colleague, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee for his "detestable conduct" during the plenary debates on the 2025 national budget. 

"I condemn the actions of Agri Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee during his unparliamentary, crude, rude, detestable conduct during the plenary presentation of the 2025 national budget. I reject Congressman Lee’s lame and empty excuse," Co said in a statement Wednesday, Oct. 2. 

"I deplore his disrespect of the House and its Rules. He disrespected and attacked this representation and the whole Committee on Appropriations. I condemn Congressman Lee’s attack on us, the women representatives defending the 2025 budget," she said. 

During plenary debates on the P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2025, it was the appropriations panel vice chairpersons' primary duty to defend the individual budgets of the agencies, mostly from the minority bloc, where Lee belongs to. 

Lee, a senatorial aspirant, had sought to block the approval of the Department of Health (DOH) budget last Sept. 25. He had the agency’s budget deferred a day earlier. 

But when the majority bloc pushed for the termination of the DOH budget deliberation, Lee grabbed the mic from Senior Deputy Minority Leader Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza and shouted, “Ganyan na ba ang nangyayari dito sa atin? (Is this how we do things now?)” 

Lee, a rookie congressmen, had to grab the mic as he still wasn't recognized on the plenary floor. 

In general, speaking over a colleague while not being recognized by the presiding officer or speaker is a big no-no in Congress. 

Afterwards, Co and her fellow female vice chairpersons were seen huddling in plenary and passing tissue to each other. Senior Vice Chairperson Marikina City 2nd district Rep. Stella Quimbo appeared to be cry, although it wasn't clear why.

Not a personal fight 

Days after the incident, Lee released a statement claiming that he grabbed the mic from Daza "upon realizing that he will no longer be given the opportunity to speak". 

“Hindi po ito laban na pansarili lang. Laban ito ng milyong-milyong Pilipinong laging may pangamba na magkasakit sa takot na malubog lalo sa utang at kahirapan dahil walang pambili ng gamot o pambayad sa ospital,” the solon from Sorsogon said. 

(This is not just a personal fight. This is the fight of millions of Filipinos who constantly worry about getting sick and are fearful of getting buried in debt since they don't have the means to buy medicine or seek hospitalization.) 

Lee was among the first to file a certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator on Tuesday. 

Public apology 

As for the planned ethics complaint, Co says many House members have called and expressed their intention to support it. 

"I demand a sincere public apology and the take down of all those social media posts spawned by his evil legions under his command," she said. 

The BHW Party-list solon further accused Lee of "grandstanding" to supposedly "gain popularity". 

"I reject any efforts of anyone acting on behalf of Congressman Wilbert Lee to make amends," she further said.