Malacañang Palace on Monday defended the appointment of former Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman as Chairperson and CEO of Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP), a government-owned and controlled corporation.

“Wala naman po sigurong masama kung i-appoint po niya (President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) ang isang tao na sa tingin niya ay makakapagtrabaho nang maayos,” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

She said even the name of Pangandaman was included in the anomalous and alleged insertion in the 2025 General Appropriations Act, the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) had not excluded her from the probe.

“Naging bukas naman po ang administrasyon sa pag-iimbestiga kahit sino pa iyan – kahit mga kaalyado, hindi kaalyado, kamag-anak, hindi kamag-anak – naging bukas po ang Pangulo sa pag-iimbestiga hindi lamang sa nakaraang administrasyon kundi pati sa kaniyang mga tao, kaniyang mga Cabinet secretaries o sinumang mga nasa ilalim ng ehekutibo,” Castro stressed.

“Bukas pa rin po ang pag-iimbestiga. Kung mayroon mang kinalaman ang sinuman ay patuloy lang ang pag-iimbestiga,” she added.

She said Pangandaman’s new post will not even protect her from the flood control investigation, if it would be initiated.

“Iba naman po ang usapin po kasi ng patungkol sa anomalya sa flood control projects. Kung mayroon po silang nakikitang mga ebidensiya laban kay dating Secretary Amenah Pangandaman bukas po ang Pangulo sa anumang klase ng pag-iimbestiga,” she said.

Asked whether Pangandaman’s appointment sends a bad signal, Castro denied it, saying there is no complaint filed against the former DBM chief.

“Kaya po ang sinabi natin, sa ngayon po ay wala tayong nakikitang anumang kaso na kinakaharap ni dating Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. Kung mayroon po silang maikakaso at mayroon po silang ebidensiya – sila po ay malaya na magsampa ng kaso. Hindi po ang Pangulo ang mag-iimbestiga, iyan po ay ibinigay sa ICI, ngayon po ay sa Ombudsman, pati ang DOJ. Malaya po ang mga investigating bodies na imbestigahan ang sinumang maaaring sangkot,” according to Castro.

Pangandaman resigned as DBM Secretary last 17 November 2025, alongside Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, at the height of the 2025 GAA budget insertion and flood control projects anomalies.  

On May 25, 2026, health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon filed charges of plunder and technical malversation against Sec. Ralph Recto and Cabinet officials at the Office of the Ombudsman for diverting P60 billion PhilHealth reserves and P107 billion Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation funds.

Subsequently, Leachon filed a Supplemental Complaint impleading Pangandaman, citing her role in authorizing Special Allotment Release Orders and Notices of Cash Allocations that enabled the unlawful transfers.