Dureza denies receiving P10-M from Ampatuans
Posted by unang apluma on Wednesday, September 15, 2010
FORMER Press Secretary Jesus Dureza vehemently denied claim by a Maguindanao massacre witness that he received P10 million from Andal Ampatuan Sr. in exchange for the dismissal of the rebellion case filed against the latter, describing it as a mere fabrication.
Dureza also insisted that a separate investigation be conducted to look into this claim of bribery and not wait for the Ampatuan cases to take its long course.
“It’s a clear fabrication if not outright amusing since it’s on a matter which is totally not in my hands as the justice dept and the courts were in full control after I turned over custody of unsay to then Justice Secretary Agnes Devenadera,” Dureza said.
“And i will insist that a separate investigation be conducted to look into these to give me a chance to clear my name,” he added.
"These fabrications are unfair to me as throughout my government career, I have endeavored to act in the most appropriate manner in all my actuations," he said.
Dureza noted he was first accused of making a deal with the Ampatuans for custody of Andal Jr. "That would have been plausible but totally untrue. Now, I am being accused that I made a deal for the dismissal of the rebellion case for million."
In jest, he asked: "Come to think of it, will I expect delivery of the millions if, by chance, the rebellion charge is dismissed?"
With this new allegation against him, Dureza said, "Now, I recall with more amusement what my colleagues in the previous Cabinet were ribbing me about the alleged missing Ampatuan funds when the raiding teams found empty vaults."
On hindsight, Dureza said his staff even just reminded me that he would have made millions more if he did not decline a director’s seat at Philex Mining Corp more than a year ago when he was a government nominee.
“But I declined the multi million peso seat even after i was already elected by the stockholders for the reason that i did not find it appropriate for an official like me to be receiving payments in excess of what cabinet members were normally receiving,” he said.
Dureza also insisted that a separate investigation be conducted to look into this claim of bribery and not wait for the Ampatuan cases to take its long course.
“It’s a clear fabrication if not outright amusing since it’s on a matter which is totally not in my hands as the justice dept and the courts were in full control after I turned over custody of unsay to then Justice Secretary Agnes Devenadera,” Dureza said.
“And i will insist that a separate investigation be conducted to look into these to give me a chance to clear my name,” he added.
"These fabrications are unfair to me as throughout my government career, I have endeavored to act in the most appropriate manner in all my actuations," he said.
Dureza noted he was first accused of making a deal with the Ampatuans for custody of Andal Jr. "That would have been plausible but totally untrue. Now, I am being accused that I made a deal for the dismissal of the rebellion case for million."
In jest, he asked: "Come to think of it, will I expect delivery of the millions if, by chance, the rebellion charge is dismissed?"
With this new allegation against him, Dureza said, "Now, I recall with more amusement what my colleagues in the previous Cabinet were ribbing me about the alleged missing Ampatuan funds when the raiding teams found empty vaults."
On hindsight, Dureza said his staff even just reminded me that he would have made millions more if he did not decline a director’s seat at Philex Mining Corp more than a year ago when he was a government nominee.
“But I declined the multi million peso seat even after i was already elected by the stockholders for the reason that i did not find it appropriate for an official like me to be receiving payments in excess of what cabinet members were normally receiving,” he said.