Press Release
August 26, 2009

PIMENTEL CONDEMNS GUN ATTACK ON EX-PANGLAO MAYOR

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today condemned the slay attempt on former Mayor Doloriech Dumaluan of Panglao, Bohol and called on law enforcement authorities to solve the case with dispatch.

Dumaluan sustained a gunshot wound in his left shoulder when he was fired upon by his assailant inside a beach resort owned by his family in Barangay Bolod at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The victim was brought immediately to an undisclosed hospital in Cebu for treatment. But a bullet embedded in his shoulder has not yet been extracted during the operation.

"We are outraged that a murder attempt was made against a law-abiding citizen like Dr. Dumaluan. We are saddened that such act of violence should take place in a peaceful community," Pimentel said.

Pimentel decried the ineptness of law enforcers to arrest the wave of killings which reflects the deteriorating law and order situation in the country and a failure of leadership on the part of the Arroyo administration.

Policemen arrested the suspect, a certain Macalandag, right after the incident. Macalandag reportedly confessed that he was hired to kill Dumaluan by Indian businessman.

Initial police investigation revealed that the Indian businessman and Dumaluan are disputing the right or ownership to a beach property in the town, which has emerged as a top tourism destination in the Visayas.

Dumaluan served as mayor of Panglao from 2004 to 2007. Prior to this post, he was a councilor and vice mayor of the town.

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