CEBU, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has found anomalous the transaction entered into by gubernatorial aspirant Joseph Felix Mari “Ace” Durano and other staff of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in connection with the wall calendar project in 2008 when he was the secretary of the DOT.
The Durano’s camp confirmed the decision of the anti-graft court on the case stemmed from the P2.7 million contract of DOT under his term to PDP Digital Inc. for the “conceptualization and development” wall calendar for the tourism promotion campaign.
Aside from Durano, other accused of the case were former Tourism undersecretary and Bids and Award Committee (BAC) chairman Oscar Palabyab and former BAC members Grace Yoro, Eduardo Jarque Jr., Evelyn Cajigal and Adriana Flor.
There were three cases filed against Durano and other staff of DOT in 2016 regarding several projects under his term in 2008 and 2009, but the two cases were already dismissed.
What’s left is the wall calendar projects which is the subject of Sandiganbayan’s recent promulgation on November 26, 2021
Durano admitted he was surprised with the recent development, puzzled of the timing.
“Dili sad ni issue sa overpricing or ghost project. Ang issue ra gyud ang proceso gigamit sa DOT sa pag mugna sa project,” Durano said.
Durano’s counsel, lawyer Dwight Remedio, said there are other alternative mode of procurement when it comes to government deals like the goods and services which are considered as “proprietary in nature.”
Remedio said with the recent ruling of the Sandiganbayan, they will file all the legal remedies to defend and clear Durano’s name with this case.
“We will be filing the necessary appeal, naa pa man tay gitawag nga motion for reconsideration unya if we need to go up to the Supreme Court then we will have to,” Remedio told The Freeman.
Durano’s camp is waiting for their hard copy of the said ruling.
Durano on his part describes this new development of his case as “politically motivated”
Durano furthers this won’t discourage him from pursuing “a dream of a better Cebu,” if he gets the seat of the governor in 2022, especially now that their campaign “is gaining momentum”.
“I said before that fighting the incumbent is like scaling Mt. Apo, and this is just one proof, naa kalit obstacle mugawas. Sa 20 yrs nga nag serbisyo ko sa gobyerno ug sa katawhan karun lang gyud intawun nga naa tay kaso nga nilansar ta pagka gobernador,” said Durano.
Durano is running under Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago-Bakud Party against incumbent Governor Gwendolyn Garcia in the 2022 elections. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon , GMR (FREEMAN)