DoJ chief hit for chiding dead US Peace Corps woman



Insensitive. This, in a word, was how the Genuine Opposition (GO) described the statements made earlier by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, saying that such remarks on dead US Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell was “definitely uncalled for.” “Imagine, this (Campbell) is a person who is not a Filipino, who came here to teach poor students in Albay to give them a better life, then he (Gonzalez) says she is to blame and that she should not have been walking alone?” Tamano said. Tamano said such statements by Gonzalez is a reflection of the height of insensitivity of certain government officials, particularly those who are strongly allied with the administration.

DoJ chief hit for chiding dead US Peace Corps woman

DoJ chief hit for chiding dead US Peace Corps woman

04/21/2007

[Excerpt]

Insensitive.

This, in a word, was how the Genuine Opposition (GO) described the statements made earlier by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, saying that such remarks on dead US Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell was “definitely uncalled for.”

GO spokesman Adel Tamano told a media briefing at the GO general headquarters in Makati City that President Arroyo should put in check her Justice secretary who apparently has a proclivity to issue out unsavory statements over current issues.

Gonzalez was earlier quoted by the press as saying Campbell is partly to be blamed for her own death for deciding to go trekking in a remote mountain area by herself.

“Imagine, this (Campbell) is a person who is not a Filipino, who came here to teach poor students in Albay to give them a better life, then he (Gonzalez) says she is to blame and that she should not have been walking alone?” Tamano said.

Tamano said such statements by Gonzalez is a reflection of the height of insensitivity of certain government officials, particularly those who are strongly allied with the administration.

“This is really the height of insensitivity. He is in a place of a sensitive position in government. To put someone and say things like these, and to think that this person is the agent of the President, is only reflective of what kind of road the administration is taking,” he said.

Taguig-Pateros Rep. and GO senatorial candidate Alan Peter Cayetano, for his part, said it was high-time for Mrs. Arroyo to be asked whether she should take the stand of her Justice secretary or not.

“Why do you have to encourage people to come here to the Philippines if you know that the streets and the places are not safe? The President should be asked: Are you supporting your secretary’s stand, or are you conveniently using him as one of your attack dogs?” Cayetano said.

Sonia Roco, another GO senatorial candidate, said Gonzalez should take a “crash course” on gender-sensitivity.

“I’ve noticed that he is not gender sensitive. This, then, should be the program of the government. Gender-sensitivity is like changing your frame of mind toward women. You don’t consider them as objects,” Roco said.

Tamano said while the country already has a high-level of awareness on gender sensitivity, the government has yet to respond to the women’s need for equal representation in government institutions such as the Senate.

Sorsogon Rep. and also GO senatorial candidate Francis “Chiz” Escudero said he is confident that local authorities will soon be able to identify and prosecute the one responsible for the murder of Campbell.

He said though the murder may be an isolated case as the Philippine National Police (PNP) has described, the incident has still contributed to the negative perception of the Philippines being a dangerous country for foreigners as well for inhabitants.

Jojo Arazas and Sherwin C. Olaes

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: April, 2007; Peace Corps Philippines; Directory of Philippines RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Philippines RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Crime

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