Wait begins

Campbell slay trial ends; verdict out June 30

BANAUE, Ifugao–The trial of the murder case of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell ended here Wednesday, exactly one day after her first death anniversary.

Presiding Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor of Regional Trial Court branch 34 gave the prosecution and the defense 30 days to file their memorandum, or a summary of the evidence that they have presented in the case.

She set the issuance of the court’s decision for June 30.

Coming home

Campbell’s quest for justice brought to Banaue

LAGAWE, Ifugao–The search for justice on the death of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell came back home to Banaue town April 8, exactly one year after her death.

The trial for the Campbell killing is set to resume today as the Regional Trial Court branch 34 finally holds trial at its permanent home at the old Banaue municipal town hall, moving from its temporary station in this capital town.

The trial of lone accused Juan Donald Duntugan, along with other cases handled by RTC branch 34, has been held at the old Sangguniang Panlalawigan building at the capitol compound here, due to the previous lack of a suitable building to serve as courthouse in Banaue.

Taking a stand

N. Vizcaya, Quirino, Ifugao law studes blast GMA, join ‘resign’ calls

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Law students from this province and Ifugao have joined calls for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, expressing exasperation over the “growing wanton acts of large-scale corruption” allegedly committed under her government.

Law students said the people have grown weary and frustrated, so that the only solution is to change the leadership that has been perceived to be either “an active party, an accomplice of or a passive onlooker” on anomalous deals in government.

“It is now high time for us to take action. The Arroyo regime has been duping us for a long while now. We cannot just stand here and let all these to go on,” said Dr. Bernard Balangatan, law student and university professor.

Still ‘beautiful’

Campbells see the beauty that lured Julia to her death

LAGAWE, Ifugao–This province may be the site of the gruesome killing of US Peace Corps Julia Campbell, but her mother and sister were filled with admiration for its natural beauty.

Speaking with reporters after the court trial on Wednesday, Linda Campbell and Geary Morris said they considered Ifugao, including Banaue town, as beautiful places.

“We hope to be back in the future to see these wonderful places in Ifugao,” said Linda, 65.

The elder Campbell concluded her testimony as the prosecution’s first witness on Wednesday morning, describing in open court how Julia was, as a daughter, as a volunteer worker and as a sister to her siblings, and recounted the family’s grief over her loss.

Julia was killed at around dusk on April 8 while she was on a solo trek to Batad village in Banaue, about 30 kilometers from here, the site of the world-famous Batad rice terraces.

During their two-day visit to Ifugao for the trial, mother and daughter finally saw part of what Julia came to see before she met her death allegedly at the hands of Batad native Juan Donald Duntugan, the primary suspect in the killing.

Duntugan admitted to having killed Julia, but maintained that it was done in blind rage after he mistook her for a village bully and his long-time enemy.

From their room at the View Inn Hotel at Banaue town proper, Linda and Geary said they caught a glimpse of patches of Banaue’s famed terraces.

In her court testimony, Linda said she and Julia had planned to come to Banaue during the mother’s visit to the Philippines in August 2006.

The plan, however, did not push through. Julia came alone to Ifugao during the last Lenten break.

In an interview with reporters, Campbell thanked persons who have helped them, especially their Filipino lawyers who, they said, have been doing their best in the family’s pursuit of justice for Julia.

They maintained that murder was committed in Julia’s death.

Prosecution lawyers presented their second witness, Melvin Chorhangon, the 14-year old boy from Batad whose statement led police investigators to tag woodcarver Duntugan as a suspect in the killing.

According to Chorhangon, he saw Duntugan emerge from the bushy side of a cliff — where the body was found — as the boy was walking along the mountain trail leading to Batad in the morning of April 9.

During the cross-examination by defense lawyer Pedro Mayam-o, Chorhangon admitted, however, that he did not personally see the killing, and that he learned of the killing only through television newscasts.

Grief of a mother

Campbell’s mom recalls her in testimony

LAGAWE, Ifugao–Linda Campbell occasionally smiled, then tried to hold back the tears as she described her daughter Julia and how she had given up a promising career in journalism in the United States to come to the Philippines as a peace corps volunteer.

Campbell of Fairfax, Virginia, was the first witness presented by the prosecution at the start of the trial Tuesday of a young woodcarver accused of bludgeoning her 40-year-old daughter to death on April 8 as she hiked down a ridge to view the famed Banaue rice terraces. Her body was found on April 18 in a shallow hillside grave near Batad.

The suspect, 25-year-old Juan Donald Duntugan, listened intently but showed no emotion.

Julia’s elder sister, Geary Campbell-Morris, 42, took a seat in the front row and sobbed as her mother detailed in her 45-minute testimony how she and her family were devastated by the loss of Julia.

“It was like someone had ripped my heart,” said Linda, describing how she felt the day she got the news.

If not for her death, Linda said Julia would have taken up a scholarship at the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University.

Aside from her Geary, Linda was accompanied to court by Carl Beck, director of the Peace Corps in the Philippines, and US Embassy officials.

Judge Esther Piscoso-Flor of the regional trial court here earlier heard Duntugan’s plea of “not guilty” to the murder charge after the prosecution declined his offer, presented by defense lawyer Pedro Mayam-o, to plead guilty to the lesser offense of homicide.

Duntugan surrendered 10 days after Julia’s body was found near his upland home and reportedly told police he had killed her in a fit of rage after he thought she was a bully in his village.

Linda said she learned on April 11 that her daughter had been missing since April 8. Then, shortly before midnight on April 18, Geary received a phone call from Jon Sanders of the US Peace Corps in Washington D.C. relaying the news of Julia’s death.

Her husband, William Jr., was stunned, Linda said.

“Then, (the entire family) gathered upstairs. We cried, we hugged and prayed,” she said. “My whole being was affected. I could not sleep, I could not concentrate [on what I was doing].”

Lawyer Reynaldo Agranzamendez, lead counsel for the prosecution, said he called on Linda to testify to show the gravity of the family’s loss and how they suffered as a result of Julia’s death should the court require Duntugan to indemnify them.

Linda said she takes heart in remembering how her daughter was loved by the people she served in Albay. The children called her “Ate Julia” or “Mommy Julia,” she said.