MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 13 Apr) – A U.S. Peace Corps volunteer has been reported missing in northern Philippines, where communist insurgents are actively operating.
The U.S. Embassy has confirmed the disappearance of Julia Campbell since April 8 and appealed for information about the 40-year old woman.
Campbell, it said, was last seen in Banaue town in the mountain province of Ifugao, where she intended to hike in a hilly area near Batad village, about 1.5 kilometers east of Banaue. She was alone.
The woman is described as Caucasian American with blonde hair, eyeglasses, 1.7 meters tall (5 feet, 7 inches) and weighing about 58 kilograms. She has served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005.
“Anyone who has seen Ms. Campbell anytime after April 8, or who may have information on her movements or current location, should call Mr. John Borja, Safety and Security Officer of the Peace Corps - Philippines at 0920-900-5270, or contact the U.S. Embassy in Manila at (02)-528-6300,” a U.S. Embassy statement said.
There are currently 137 Peace Corps Volunteers serving in the Philippines. More than 8,000 volunteers have served in the country since 1961, making it the second oldest Peace Corps program in the world.
New People’s Army rebels are known to actively operate in northern Philippines and have previously threatened to attack U.S. targets in the country. It was unknown if the group has anything to do with her disappearance or if the woman was lost in the mountain. (Mindanao Examiner)
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