Life Sentence For Killer Of US Peace Corsp Volunteer Julia Campbell

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / June 30, 2008) – A Filipino wood sculptor accused of murdering United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell was found guilty by a local court and sentenced him Monday to life imprisonment.

Judge Ester Flor, of the Ifugao Regional Trial Court, sentenced Juan Dontugan and ordered him to pay Campbell’s family more than P40 million in various damages.

The 25-year old Dontugan previously confessed in the killing Campbell on April last year in his hometown in Ifugao province in northern Luzon.

Dontugan said he was walking on a mountain trail in the village of Batad in Ifugao’s Banaue town when somebody bumped him from behind. Thinking it was his enemy, Dontugan said he picked up a rock and hit Campbell several times.

He said he had enemies in the village and mistook the woman as one of them, but later found out that she was a foreigner.

Dontugan surrendered weeks after the murder after villagers, angered by the killing of Campbell, joined in the hunt for him. Soldiers and policemen discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Campbell in a shallow grave in Batad village.

Many villagers blamed Dontugan for the decline of the tourism industry in the province, previously one of the most visited in northern Philippines because of its majestic rice terraces and ethnic culture.Campbell, a former journalist, was reported missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (Mindanao Examiner)

Pulisya Duda Pa Rin Sa Killer Ni Julia Campbell

QUEZON CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 28 Apr) – Bagamat umamin na si Juan Dontugan na siyang pumatay kay United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell ay sisiyasatin pa umano ng pulisya ang naturang krimen.

Sinabi kanina ni Philippine National Police Chief Director General Oscar Calderon na kinakailangan pa ring siyasatin ang mga naging salaysay ni Dontugan sapagkat maaari rin umanong gumawa ng palusot ito upang makaiwas sa mas mabigat na kaparusahan.

Inaangkin ni Dontugan na aksidente lamang ang pagpatay nito kay Campbell na napagkamalang kanyang kaaway.

Ngunit, ayon kay Calderon, mahalaga ring makumpirma ang tunay na mga nangyari, batay sa mga ebidensyang nakalap ng pulisya at sa testimonya ng mga testigo.

Inuungkat na rin ng PNP kung sino ang sinasabing nakaaway ni Dontugan at kung saan nag-ugat kung kayat tila napraning ito at napagkamalan si Campbell.

Si Dontugan ay sinampahan na ng kasong pagpatay ng Ifugao Provincial Police Office.

"We do not take his statement hook, line, and sinker. It was a doubtful statement. We base our findings on investigation, physical evidence. Kaya nga murder. Otherwise it is a homicide case," ani Calderon.

Sa pagharap sa suspek sa mga mamamahayag, hindi napigilan ni Dontugan na maiyak ngunit nananatiling tikom ang bibig.

Sinabi ni Calderon na nakunsensya umano si Dontugan kung kayat minabuti nitong kusang sumuko sa mga awtoridad. Subalit ang pagsuko nito ay walang timbang sa anumang kaparusahan ipapataw sa kanya.

Sumailalim na rin sa drug test ang suspek para alamin kung gumagamit ng ipinagbabawal na gamot si Dontugan na maaring nakaimpluwensya sa pagsasakatuparan nito ng krimen, bukod pa sa eksaminasyon sa ibang ebidensya.

"Mr Dontugan's blood and urine specimen have been taken for laboratory analysis, as well as the bloodied shirt and ballcap, piece of firewood, and a bolo which the suspect claimed he used as tool to move soil to cover the victim's body. This examination will be useful in establishing our case," dagdag pa ni Calderon. (Juley Reyes)

Filipino Man Confessed Killing Julia Campbell

MANILA – The Filipino wood sculptor accused of murdering United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell has confessed Friday and said he is ready to face the consequences of his crime.

Police said the 25-year old Juan Dontugan surrendered peacefully with his mother at around 3.20 p.m. Friday and is now being investigated in connection with Campbell’s killing.

“It is not really my intention to kill her. It was so sudden,” Dontugan told the ABS-CBN television before his surrender.

Dontugan said he was walking on a mountain trail in the village of Batad in Ifugao’s Banaue town when somebody bumped him from behind. Thinking it was his enemy, Dontugan said he picked up a rock and hit Campbell several times.

“I was stunned and don’t know what to do. I hit her several times in the head and then dragged the body and buried her to hide the crime,” he said.

He said he has enemies in the village and mistook the woman as one of them, but later found out that she was a foreigner.

He denied raping or robbing Campbell. “I did not rape her. Just dragged her body, her clothes and pants were ripped off,” he said. “I have spent sleepless nights thinking about what I did. It is not really my intention to kill her. I was so scared that’s why I hid her body. I am ready to face my crime,” he said.

Dontugan’s surrender came after villagers, angered by the killing of Campbell, joined in the hunt for the suspect.

Many villagers blamed Dontugan for the decline of the tourism industry in the province, previously one of the most visited in northern Philippines because of its majestic rice terraces and ethnic culture.

Soldiers and policemen discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Campbell in a shallow grave in Batad village.

Police suspect that Campbell may have been raped and then robbed.

Campbell, a former journalist, was reported missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (With a report from Juley Reyes)

BREAKING REPORT! Julia Campbell Slay Suspect Surrenders!

MANILA – Philippine police on Friday said the chief suspect in the killing of a United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell has finally surrendered after weeks of a massive manhunt in Ifugao province, north of Manila.

Police said the man, Juan Dontugan, a 25-year old wood sculptor, surrendered peacefully with his mother at around 3.20 p.m. Friday and is now being investigated in connection with Campbell’s slay.

Regional police chief Joseph Adnol said Jane Dontugan, the man’s mother, has convinced the suspect to surrender and answer the accusations against him. Other reports said there could be more than one suspect in the killing of Campbell.

Dontugan’s surrender came after villagers, angered by the killing of Campbell, joined in the hunt for the suspect. Many villagers blamed Dontugan for the decline of the tourism industry in the province, previously one of the most visited in northern Philippines because of its majestic rice terraces and ethnic culture.

Police said Campbell may have been bludgeoned to death. Soldiers and policemen discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Virginia native in a shallow grave in the mountain village of Batad in Banaue town.

Police suspect that Campbell may have been raped and then robbed, but the suspect’s wife, denied all accusations against her husband, saying, he is innocent.

“He is innocent of all these charges,” the woman said. She has earlier appealed to her husband to surrender peacefully to authorities. “Please come home because we are all worried about you,” she said.

Campbell, a former journalist, was reported missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (With a report from Juley Reyes)

RP Police Release Photos Of Julia Campbell's Alleged Killer

Juan Dontugan

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 24 Apr) – Philippine police released Tuesday two photographs of a suspect in the killing of U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Ifugao province, north of Manila.

Police said Julia Campbell may have been bludgeoned to death. Soldiers and policemen discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Virginia native in a shallow grave in the mountain village of Batad in Banaue town.

Regional police chief Raul Gonzales identified the suspect as Juan Dontugan, a 25-year old wood sculptor in Batad village. “He better surrender peacefully,” Gonzales said. Villagers also are helping the police track down the man., believed hiding in the neighboring Benguet province.

Police suspect that Campbell may have been raped and then robbed, but the suspect’s wife, denied all accusations against her husband, saying, he is innocent.

“He is innocent of all these charges,” the woman said. She appealed to her husband to surrender peacefully to authorities. “Please come home because we are all worried about you,” she said.

Campbell, a former journalist, was reported missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (With a report from Juley Reyes)

U.S. Peace Corps' Julia Campbell Is Bludgeoned To Death: RP Police

Julia Campbell

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 21) – Philippine police on Saturday suspect that U.S. Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell may have been bludgeoned to death, bolstering earlier reports that she was murdered in Ifugao province, north of Manila.

Campbell was autopsied by Filipino authorities to determine the cause of her death. Government soldiers discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Campbell in a shallow grave in the mountain village of Batad in Banaue town.

Ifugao police chief Supt. Pedro Genir earlier said Campbell may have been murdered. “It is (a) homicide (case). The culprits even covered her body with earth and rocks to hide the crime,” he said.

Campbell, a former journalist, was missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (Mindanao Examiner)

Julia Campbell May Have Been Murdered: Police

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 18 Apr) – Philippine authorities are investigating whether a missing U.S. Peace Corps volunteer found dead on Wednesday was murdered.

Government soldiers discovered the decomposing body of the 40-year old Julia Campbell in a shallow grave in the mountain village of Batad in Banaue town in Ifugao province, north of Manila.

“We cannot say this early what really happened. Forensic experts and pathologists were sent to help police in the investigation,” a Filipino military spokesman Col. Bartolome Bacaro said.

But police believed Campbell was murdered. “It is (a) homicide (case). The culprits even covered her body with earth and rocks to hide the crime,” said Supt. Pedro Genir, of the Ifugao police force.

Campbell, a former journalist, was missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (Mindanao Examiner)

Missing U.S. Peace Corps Member Found Dead In Philippines

MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / 18 Apr) – A missing U.S. Peace Corps volunteer was found dead Wednesday on a mountain trail, north of the Philippines, Filipino security officials said.

Julia Campbell, 40, was missing since April 8 in Ifugao province where she intended to hike alone.

Campbell’s body was found by soldiers in Batad village in Banaue, near where she had been last seen. The cause of her death is still unknown and officials would not say whether she had fallen from a cliff or had been murdered.

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.

Campbell, from Fairfax, Virginia, had served as a college teacher in Legazpi in southern Luzon since she began her Peace Corps service in the Philippines in March 2005. (Mindanao Examiner)