Dear Editor,
I’m very disappointed over the recent article you published about Dureza which to my mind is really a bit of a hard sell. It sounded reluctant over his offer to give up his post as MINDA Chair when in fact he should have done that as soon as his mistress in Malacanang stepped down from power. No matter how the article bragged that he is a bar topnotcher and a valedictorian, the truth is that he fucked up with GMA and enjoyed all the perks of high powered positions by kissing GMA’s ass. And it leaves such a bad taste in the mouth to read a Mindanews article at that to “publicize” what a big loss it is for Mindanao to lose a guy like Dureza. When in fact, we should celebrate because we can finally get rid of GMA’s most trusted bagman and operator in Mindanao. The article forgot to include in his credentials that he wielded his influence in order to open indigenous peoples’ communities to big mining corporations. It also forgot to mention he was the one who gave special favors to the Ampatuans upon the instruction of GMA. Remember how he fetched Datu Unsay like a loyal escort to Manila? Said article also missed to mention how Dureza managed to bring all the trainings of UN multi-donor agencies, whom he chairs as mentioned in the article, right into his own resorts?
With a new government on a no-nonsense anti-corruption agenda, this bar topnotcher definitely has no place in P’Noy’s administration. Mindanao must have its own share of CHANGE. Dureza can start that change by resigning from MINDA now!

Erlinda Veloria

Primo: i dont think so. it so happened that nobody has been saying much against dureza. if you have something to say against dureza, why dont you write a letter to the editor?

Phasie: you straightly hit the bottom of this brouhaha. Right now, from the vantage view here in Manila, we can clearly see and assess the role of media–and Mindanews at that–in floating and pursuing fatcs that are beyond legitimacy. I personally don’t know Dureza but the way you pointed it out it seems that he is GMA’s ‘bagman’ till then.

wait, i just noticed that there are actually three articles by MINDANEWS promoting Dureza!!!!!!!! they all fall under the peace process????? my gosh, we in mindanao know how un-peaceful Dureza is. he is a good friend of the man he calls \”AMA\” or father and this is ANDAL AMPATUAN SR. actually, he is right in calling ANDAL \”ama\” because Dureza is no different from UNSAY, the junior of ANDAL!!! see, the story about this valedictorian \”son\” of Ama should rather fall under the classification \”Ampatuan massacre,\” not the PEACE PROCESS!!!!!!!!!!!

Kayo naman po Mr. Hontiveros, ano naman po ang masama pag ang Mindanews ay maging publicist ni Dureza? Di naman po siguro masama yan basta ba magbayad lang si Dureza ng tama para naman mabuhay ang Mindanews. Alam nyo naman po siguro na ang ano mang pahayagan ay negosyo din yan? Kailangan din ng Mindanews na magbayad sa kanyang mga reporter at kung ano-ano pang gastusin sa pagpapatakbo ng pahayagan, so tama lang naman siguro na maging \”publicist\” sya ng sino mang kliyente na nangangailangan ng publication, tulad ni Dureza.

Mr. Primo, linawin ko lang po kasi mukhang di maganda ang tono nyo, lalo sa paggamit nyo ng katagang “bayaran.” Sa pagkakaintindi ko po, masama ang bayaran kasi para “puta” po ang iisipin ng tao. Ang pinapaliwanag ko lamang po sa inyo na hindi po masama kung ang publication ay maging publicist ng isang nangangailangan ng publication dahil kaya nga po tinawag sya na publication dahil publicist nga po sya. At ang sino mang magnanais ng serbisyo nito ay dapat magbayad po sya. Wag naman po sana kayong gumawa ng pahayag na para bang sinisiraan na ang pangalan ng iba. Salamat po.

Good day everyone out there! First, the discussions about the subject news article or articles is evidently a manifestation that indeed democracy is alive in our society. I will, however, appreciate if the discussions continue to remain professional, issue-based, level-headed and not personal attacks against persons or organizations.

Second, I strongly believe that there are, indeed, good reasons to discuss these three matters: 1) if Dureza should really remain as MinDA head or P-Noy appoints a new one of his choice, 2) if Dureza should as well be investigated for his alleged involvement in the reported anomalies of GMA, he being the chief Mindanao operator of the former President, and, 3) if a media outfit like MindaNews has crossed the boarder of professionalism as a media entity.

I have nothing personal against Dureza and has in fact helped him in many ways he may not have even known. Of course he is just one among many from Mindanao who is qualified for the position. But again, he is just one of the many, hence, the others who have good chance of getting the position should also be given a chance. Being the chief operator of GMA in Mindanao is a reality that Dureza and everyone know, hence, it was but proper for him to resign and should never even entertain any offer of the Aquino administration, if there is any, to hold on to his post or accept any other appointive position under the new administration. Some, if not all of the accusations by those who reacted in this article may not necessarily be true, but the accusations are also known to the public.

I also agree to the suggestion that Dureza should as well be investigated for his alleged participation in the anomalous transactions of the former administration, including his Seagull in Bukidnon for allegedly using his position to corner a “questionable” land use contract, in difference to the land title the Lumads have on the land his establishment occupies. The investigation will surely work in Dureza’s favor if he is cleared of any participation in the mess of the former administration but should put him in jail if proven otherwise.

In fairness to MindaNews, I still believe that it has, indeed, presented an alternative view of Mindanao. The news articles it published may not actually satisfy everyone and could even invite some enemies. But the Dureza story or stories, has/have also given reasons for people to raise their eyebrows. For one, there are many other qualified aspirants for the position of MinDA, but MindaNews, obviously, never exerted enough efforts to be able to give the other aspirants at least a semblance of equal space in the publication. This is the area where I think MindaNews has miserably failed and a reason for the insinuation that it has become a publicist for Dureza.