|
Monday, August 13, 2007
Resigned aide clears Cuenco on medicine purchase
By Rene H. Martel
* Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco says he has apologized to former aide James Yrastorza, didn't mean to blame him for the ghost purchases COA found
* Yrastorza clears both congressman and son James Cuenco, project manager, and says it's a BIR examiner and a pharmacy owner who should answer for any public funds that may have been diverted
CEBU CITY -- Saying he was just expressing his apprehension after he thought Representative Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, north) blamed him for "ghost purchases" of medicine in 2004, James Yrastorza Sunday cleared the legislator and his son of any involvement in the alleged anomaly.
This, as Cuenco challenged the Commission on Audit (COA) to "expedite the filing of necessary charges against those involved." He said he will see COA's officials in Manila Monday to make the request.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
Cuenco said it is unfair that he now "appear(s) to be the villain" just because the alleged P3-million ghost purchases were funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
"That he (Yrastorza) turned against me is inaccurate. He knows I'm innocent," Cuenco told Sun.Star Cebu after talking with Yrastorza Sunday.
He said he also apologized to Yrastorza for an earlier statement blaming him for the fiasco.
Neighbor
Cuenco said he committed a "slip of tongue." He actually meant Dell Pharmacy owner Wendell Villacin, a neighbor, and not Yraztorza as the one involved.
Yrastorza, he said, accepted his apology.
In a telephone interview, Yrastorza told Sun.Star Cebu that he felt uncomfortable that what came out after issuing a statement is the impression that Cuenco was involved in or tolerated the anomaly.
"Naikog kong congressman. Ang ako clarification ra man. Wala siyay knowledge (I only wanted a clarification. He didn't have any idea about it)," he said.
He said the month after confiding with Cuenco, he left as head of the congressman's medical mission office at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), opting not to renew his contract.
After he told Cuenco, Yrastorza recalled, the congressman took it with a grain of salt but commissioned several members of his staff to do an audit.
Yrastorza said Cuenco's son James, who acted as project chairman, also did not have a hand in the alleged anomaly, as the two persons he considered to be behind it simply used the younger Cuenco's name for the approval of the supposed purchases.
"Wala say knowledge si James. Inig-papirma nila, mo-mention sila nga approved na niya ni James (When there were papers to be signed, they would say they already had James' approval)," Yrastorza said.
Discovery
He identified Villacin and a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) examiner as the ones who forged documents, like hospital referral slips, for the purchases to be approved.
He said the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) is not even involved, as the hospital merely processed the papers.
"Wala ko nagsabotahe. It is the staff ug nagdumala sa health program (I wasn't trying to sabotage anything)," Cuenco's former staff member said.
Yrastorza said the COA came in after a VSMMC employee discovered the alleged anomaly in 2005.
Cuenco said that after Yrastorza informed him, he sought the help of COA, which sent an audit team in 2005.
He said that his health program started in 2001, and it went well until he came to learn of the problem following Yrastorza's revelation after the 2004 elections.
No names
He said he reported what Yrastorza told him to the COA, which investigated and came out with recommendations after six to seven months "without pinpointing the persons responsible."
The report, he added, was submitted to the COA Manila, which sent a team that reviewed and confirmed the report "still without the names" of those who should be held accountable.
That is why he will see COA Manila officials today to ask them to hasten the investigation.
"(This is) for COA to name names because it's causing me a lot of embarrassment. Naturally, I'm the one blamed because it's my PDAF (that was used as fund source). There is no shred of evidence linking me to such anomalies," Cuenco said.
He said the COA requested him to attend an exit conference two weeks ago and when he asked why, he was told that the agency needed his assistance in looking into the irregularity.
"I'm going to continue cooperating with (the) COA so that the real culprits are charged in court," he added. ( Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (August 13, 2007 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
