By Junex Doronio
MANILA – “Hell hath no fury like the public when deceived by a pretender,” declared BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, as she condemned Agri Party-list Rep. and senatorial hopeful Wilbert “Manoy” Lee for his allegedly unparliamentary behavior during the budget deliberation on September 25.
Co, who chairs the House Committee on Welfare of Children and serves as vice chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, announced that she plans to file a complaint before the House Ethics Committee next week.
“I condemn the actions of Agri Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee for his unparliamentary, crude, rude, and detestable conduct during the plenary presentation of the 2025 national budget. I reject Congressman Lee’s lame and empty excuse,” Co stated.
The congresswoman claimed she fainted in fear when Rep. Lee angrily approached her during the final day of the budget deliberations at the House of Representatives.
To recall, during the September 25 deliberation on the proposed Department of Health (DOH) budget, Lee reportedly grabbed the microphone from House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul Daza, who was about to move for the termination of the deliberations.
On Monday (September 30, 2024), Lee downplayed the incident, suggesting the focus should remain on the positive outcomes of the DOH budget review, rather than the microphone scuffle.
“I reject his insincere justification of his actions,” Co remarked.
She further demanded that Lee issue “a sincere public apology and remove all social media posts spread by his followers.”
“I condemn Congressman Lee’s attack on us, the women representatives defending the 2025 budget,” Co added.
Co and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin were tasked with defending the DOH’s proposed budget.
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