Plunder raps filed vs Pangandaman

HEALTH REFORM advocate Anthony “Tony” C. Leachon filed an affidavit before the Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday, seeking to implead former Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman in the alleged unlawful diversion and transfer of funds.

In a supplemental verified complaint-affidavit, filed through his legal counsel Nabua Law Offices, Mr. Leachon accused Ms. Pangandaman of illegally diverting and transferring funds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC).

“This supplemental complaint is filed in the interest of completeness, accuracy, accountability, and substantial justice. It is not about personalities, but about ensuring that every official who had a hand in this unlawful diversion of health funds is held accountable,” Mr. Leachon said in a statement.

The supplemental complaint-affidavit also seeks to clarify, supplement, and further specify the participation of certain public officials in the questioned transfers, budget execution measures, remittances, and related government acts.

Mr. Leachon on May 25 filed a complaint before the Ombudsman, in connection with the transfer of P60-billion PhilHealth fund and P107-billion PDIC fund.

Ms. Pangandaman did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment.

The supplemental complaint includes Ms. Pangandaman among the respondents, as the questioned transfers, special allotment release orders, notices of cash allocation, remittances, or related implementation acts were authorized, approved, initiated, undertaken, or allowed during her tenure as the secretary of the Department Budget and Management (DBM).

The filing also clarifies that both present and former DBM officials were accountable for approving, processing, executing, facilitating, authorizing, or failing to prevent the corresponding budgetary releases and fiscal implementation measures necessary to affect the questioned transfer of funds.

Ms. Pangandaman resigned from her post in November 2025 following her alleged involvement in the anomalous flood control projects. — Mark Joseph M. Sanchez