James Yrastorza is a former aide of Congressman Tony Cuenco. When news of a million-peso anomaly at a government hospital in Cebu broke out, Yrastorza hinted that Cuenco had something to do with it, or at least had knowledge of it.

A few days ago, Yrastorza cleared Cuenco by stating that Cuenco had called him up and “explained certain things.”

Yeah, right!

Sun-Star Daily unearthed an affidavit executed by Yrastorza in 2005 swearing to the fact that Cuenco’s son, James, siphoned off close to P3M by making ghost purchases and that Congressman Cuenco may have known about it but did nothing.

The affidavit was signed before COA lawyers. Yrastorza was then a part of a special unit of Congressman Cuenco that oversaw the operation of a P30-million free medicines project.

Did Yrastorza know what was going on? Of course! So, it’s incredulous that he would now claim that certain things were explained by Cuenco after a mere telephone conversation.

Alas, power can either make one talk or shut up.

Power will also get one off the hook. Watch as Cuenco will be able to wiggle himself out of this situation and even be able to drag his son along with him. All he has to do is call on his fellow-congressmen to help him and they, having pork barrels themselves they wouldn’t want audited, would do so. It’s called the “Old Boys’ Club.”

It’s led by that wheeling-dealing master weasel himself, Joe De Venecia.

You’d think that the tragic death of a daughter would cause JDV to mellow down, be more circumspect and noble. Not a chance! Power corrupts and it begins by first corrupting the soul.

Just look how he again acquired the speakership. He just railroaded everybody. Guess who nominated him?

Tony Cuenco.

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