Caloocan 2nd District Rep. Edgar “Egay” Erice on Saturday, October 18, called on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to fire Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, saying her department failed to prevent what he described as “unprecedented diversions and insertions” amounting to ₱1.45 trillion over the last three years.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on DZRH’s Special on Saturday, Erice said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) could not have been unaware of the large-scale fund realignments that have triggered public outrage and multiple congressional probes.
“Alam ng DBM lahat ‘yan. From 2023, ₱300 billion ‘yung nawala; 2024, ₱500 billion; 2025, ₱400 billion. Hindi sila umaksyon,” he said. “At least, very negligent o very incompetent ‘yung DBM na in-allow nila ito.”
Erice linked the DBM’s failure to what he called the “worst case” of fund manipulation in Philippine legislative history, where billions were allegedly diverted to “ghost” or substandard projects.
The lawmaker stressed that the DBM’s analysts are “very capable” and could easily detect irregular fund movements, yet allowed them to pass unchecked.
“Ang gagaling ng mga analyst ng DBM. Alam nila ‘yan. Ang problema kasi, baka akala nila lahat ng desisyon ay may basbas ng Malacañang dahil protektado ng mga makapangyarihan sa Kongreso,” he added, referring to then-Appropriations Committee Chair, former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
While he said that the House of Representatives and the Senate shared responsibility, Erice emphasized that the DBM had a constitutional duty to scrutinize and withhold anomalous appropriations.
The Caloocan lawmaker said Pangandaman’s inaction allowed the perception that the Marcos administration tolerated the questionable allocations.
Arguing that such complicity or passivity made Pangandaman’s leadership untenable, Erice said a leadership overhaul was needed to restore integrity and public confidence in the national budgeting process.
“(Kung ako ang Pangulo), eh ‘di palitan ko ‘yung DBM,” Erice said, stressing that accountability should begin within the budget department that releases and reviews national expenditures.
Erice earlier described the national legislature as “on fire,” lamenting that “the people’s money has been looted while Filipinos drown in poverty.”
He warned that without accountability at the DBM and genuine institutional reforms, public anger could spiral into unrest.
“Ang Kongreso ay nasusunog, ang gobyerno ay nayayanig, at ang mamamayan ay nalulunod sa kahirapan,” he said.
