Philippine Daily Inquirer Digital Edition

Jesus Durante III

—FRANCES MANGOSING

Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, the chief of the Presidential Security Group during the Duterte administration, has been named by the police as the brains behind the murder of Davaobased model and businesswoman Yvonette Chua Plaza. Three days after the killing, Durante tried to douse rumors of his involvement after netizens recalled Plaza’s old social media post (now deleted), accusing him of physical assault. The general, a married man, described the victim as “a friend” and said he also wanted justice for Plaza, who was shot outside her apartment on the night of Dec. 29, 2022. Now facing a murder complaint, Durante has been relieved as commander of the 1001st Infantry Brigade. Investigation pointed to a possible extramarital relationship. One angle was that Plaza, in possession of some “sensitive information,” planned to “blackmail” him. Implicated along with a colonel, five enlisted personnel and three civilians, Durante is now in Army custody. A military investigation will determine if they would face court martial proceedings.

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2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

2023-01-29T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://philippinedailyinquirerplus.pressreader.com/article/281694028916245

Philippine Daily Inquirer