Ace Durano Explained

Ace Durano
Office:Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cebu's 5th district
Term Start:June 30, 2013
Term End:June 30, 2016
Predecessor:Ramon Durano VI
Successor:Ramon Durano VI
Term Start2:June 30, 1998
Term End2:November 29, 2004
Predecessor2:Ramon D. Durano III
Successor2:Ramon Durano VI
President3:Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Office3:Secretary of Tourism
Term Start3:November 30, 2004
Term End3:June 30, 2010
Predecessor3:Roberto Pagdanganan
Successor3:Alberto Lim
Birth Name:Joseph Felix Mari Hotchkiss Durano
Birth Date:3 April 1970
Birth Place:Cebu City, Philippines
Nationality:Filipino
Occupation:Politician
Profession:Lawyer
Party:Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago (2021–present)
Otherparty:Liberal (2012 - 2021)
NPC (1998–2012)

Joseph Felix Mari "Ace" Hotchkiss Durano[1] (born April 3, 1970) is a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as Secretary of Tourism under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was also general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), being appointed by Arroyo in 2008.[2]

Political career

He also served twice as the Representative of Cebu's 5th congressional district: from 1998 to 2004 and from 2013 to 2016.

He was one of the youngest to be elected representative to the 11th congress (1998-2001). He was an Assistant Majority Floor Leader and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Trade and Industry during that time.

In the 2022 local elections, Durano challenged incumbent governor Gwendolyn Garcia for the governorship of Cebu and lost. He ran alongside incumbent vice governor Hilario Davide III as his running mate.[3]

Controversies

Durano was convicted of graft by the Sandiganbayan over the development of the Department of Tourism 2009 wall calendar, worth PhP 2.7 million, which failed to undergo public bidding.[4] He filed a motion for reconsideration but it was denied by the court in February 2022.[5] The case is currently under appeal before the Supreme Court.[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Garcia . Patrick . Former DOT Secretary faces graft charge . November 14, 2021 . Manila Bulletin . April 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201107230317/https://mb.com.ph/2019/04/01/former-dot-secretary-faces-graft-charge/ . November 7, 2020.
  2. Web site: Ace Durano gets second gov't post as tourism authority head . May 3, 2008 . GMA News Online . January 22, 2022.
  3. News: Ex-tourism chief Ace Durano to challenge Gwen Garcia in Cebu gubernatorial race . October 7, 2021 . Rappler.
  4. News: Ex-DOT chief Ace Durano convicted of graft over 2009 project . December 2, 2021 . Ador Vincent . Mayol . Philippine Daily Inquirer . January 22, 2022.
  5. Web site: Semilla . Ador Vincent Mayol . February 22, 2022 . Court affirms conviction of ex-tourism chief Ace Durano . July 17, 2022 . INQUIRER.net . en.
  6. Web site: Antojado . Le Phyllis F. . Sandigan sustains Durano's graft conviction . July 17, 2022 . Philstar.com.