Caloocan City 2nd District Representative Egay Erice lashed out at Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman for allegedly distancing herself and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) from the controversy surrounding the government’s anomalous flood control projects.
According to Erice, officials from both the DBM and the House Committee on Appropriations are known for their expertise in handling public funds — which makes it hard to believe that the agency had no knowledge or involvement in the alleged scam.
“Hindi ako naniniwala na hindi ito alam ng Department of Budget and Management. Sa tagal ko sa gobyerno, alam ko matitinik ‘yang sa DBM, Committee on Appropriations ng House alam ko matitinik ang mga iyan,” Erice said in a radio interview on Sunday.
He added that if the President was unaware of the alleged irregularities, then it means his own officials failed to inform him: “Alam nila iyan kaya lang siguro eh natatakot sila na hindi sundin. Kung sinasabi ni Pangulong Marcos hindi niya alam eh ‘yun ang problema hindi pinaalam sa kanya. Dapat alam iyan ng kanyang DBM,” Erice continued.
The lawmaker stressed that the DBM can no longer claim ignorance since the same pattern of fund misuse reportedly persisted for three consecutive years: “Sana kung isang taon lang. 2023, 2024, 2025 nangyari ibig sabihin ‘yan ang naging modus operandi for three years,” he pointed out.
Erice also criticized how most of the questionable allocations for flood control projects were still included in the budget despite the President’s partial veto: “Alam dapat ‘yan ng DBM dapat ipinaalam sa Pangulo. Pero noong 2025 nu’ng pumutok ‘yan, ₱29 billion lang ang vineto ng Pangulo, karamihan pa rin nandu’n,” he said.
He noted that the funds for flood control projects had been coursed through the Unprogrammed Appropriations of the General Appropriations Act over the past three years — giving DBM officials full visibility on how the money was allocated and released.
As of press time, Secretary Pangandaman has yet to respond to the allegations raised by Erice.