A well-orchestrated press conference at the Dumaluan Beach Resort supposedly to trumpet the turn-around of a witness in the celebrated Vivian Dumaluan rape-murder case turned up more questions than answers. This developed as two government officials confirmed that the sworn statement supposedly given by a witness under duress was made in their presence and not in a Cebu resort as alleged. Senior Supt. Edgardo Ingking and Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Eric Ucat confirmed that they were present when witness Gorgie Marcele executed a sworn statement regarding his personal knowledge about the rape-slay incident. The two officials however declined to elaborate further.

The statement issued by Ingking and Ucat virtually demolished the claims made by Marcele and former Panglao Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan that the witness was forced to sign a sworn statement in Cebu . Dumaluan had claimed that Marcele was coerced to pinpoint his brother, Engr. Teofredo “Pingmay” Dumaluan, as the mastermind of the brutal rape-slay in the sworn statement. The former Panglao mayor, who hosted the press conference attended by about 20 journalists three weeks ago, also presented Marcele and his brother Ricky, who works at his resort, along with his brother. During the press conference, Marcele claimed that SPO4 Dominic Ragusta forced him to sign the sworn statement. Dumaluan also promised to furnish copies of Marcele's affidavit recanting his Oct. 24 sworn statement to reporters but has failed to do so three weeks after the lavish press conference. Ragusta however laughed off the claim saying that both Ingking and Ucat were present when Marcele signed the affidavit. While he admitted preparing the affidavit but denied that it was signed in Cebu , noting that Ucat was the one who notarized it. Ucat also confirmed this during a brief interview. Ragusta said Marcele was also assisted by his counsel, lawyer Elmer Balbin even though this is not the usual procedure. Dumaluan's gambit appeared to have backfired as the press conference instead became the venue to spotlight the alleged participation of his brother. A source privy to the signing but who declined to be identified said Marcele's affidavit made no mention of Pingmay.

“Truth has a way of coming out and the press conference ironically arranged by Dumaluan accomplished that,” the source added. Ragusta also declined to comment on this saying it is Marcele who knows what he swore to in his statement. The source said that Dumaluan's act of producing Marcele has made him the custodian of the witness whose life is now in grave danger. “Marcele is better dead than alive because he knows a lot more than he said in his statement,” the source added. The rape and murder of Vivian Dumaluan has dominated Panglao politics in the last two elections. Former Mayor Dumaluan blamed incumbent Mayor Benedicto Alcala for the crime en route to victory in 2004. Alcala however turned the tables on Dumaluan last May, pointing out that instead of working to serve justice for the victim, he was more preoccupied in muddling the issue. The tide turned against Dumaluan and Alcala won by a landslide. Despite the changing political fortunes however, the victim and her family continues to cry for justice.