Irked DOJ chief dares critics to take a hike alone in Ifugao



Irked by criticisms over his "insensitive" remarks on the death of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Monday dared his critics to hike in Ifugao province alone. Gonzalez stood pat on his statement saying the 40-year-old Campbell was "careless" in walking the mountain trail without a companion. "What's wrong with what I said? You try going to Ifugao alone," the justice chief said in a radio interview. Gonzalez insisted that, "Is that not something careless on the part of Campbell to walk alone at a lonely mountain site, despite advisories from foreign governments not to go to some places alone?" He added that, "Here you have a lonely countryside in the mountains, and you go hiking there early in the morning, alone? You're inviting trouble." Last Thursday, Gonzalez told reporters that Campbell was a "little irresponsible" since she was allegedly courting trouble for walking a mountain trail by herself. The DOJ secretary's comments drew flak from women's group Gabriela and opposition senatorial candidates, saying Gonzalez insulted the memory of the deceased Campbell. Malacañang, meanwhile, said Gonzalez was "entitled to his own opinions." US Ambassador Kristie Kenney refused to comment on the matter. Asked about Gonzalez's remark, Campbell's sister Geary Campbell Morris recently told GMA News' Saksi that given the beauty of the Banaue Rice Terraces, "How can she (Julia) not go there?" Morris added that, "I want to be where she walked on in Banaue at some point in my life."

Irked DOJ chief dares critics to take a hike alone in Ifugao

Irked DOJ chief dares critics to take a hike alone in Ifugao
04/23/2007 | 11:14 AM
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Irked by criticisms over his "insensitive" remarks on the death of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Monday dared his critics to hike in Ifugao province alone.

Gonzalez stood pat on his statement saying the 40-year-old Campbell was "careless" in walking the mountain trail without a companion.

"What's wrong with what I said? You try going to Ifugao alone," the justice chief said in a radio interview.

Gonzalez insisted that, "Is that not something careless on the part of Campbell to walk alone at a lonely mountain site, despite advisories from foreign governments not to go to some places alone?"

He added that, "Here you have a lonely countryside in the mountains, and you go hiking there early in the morning, alone? You're inviting trouble."

Last Thursday, Gonzalez told reporters that Campbell was a "little irresponsible" since she was allegedly courting trouble for walking a mountain trail by herself.

Ifugao is known for the picturesque Banaue Rice Terraces.

The police has started tracking suspects, who have been described in separate reports as a woodcarver and a tour guide.

Campbell was last seen April 8 in Batad village, Banaue and was reported missing three days later. She was found dead on April 18 in a shallow grave with her feet protruding from the ground.

The DOJ secretary's comments drew flak from women's group Gabriela and opposition senatorial candidates, saying Gonzalez insulted the memory of the deceased Campbell.

Malacañang, meanwhile, said Gonzalez was "entitled to his own opinions." US Ambassador Kristie Kenney refused to comment on the matter.

Asked about Gonzalez's remark, Campbell's sister Geary Campbell Morris recently told GMA News' Saksi that given the beauty of the Banaue Rice Terraces, "How can she (Julia) not go there?"

Morris added that, "I want to be where she walked on in Banaue at some point in my life."

As this developed, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said more than one person may have killed Campbell in Ifugao province.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr said police authorities have in custody more than one witness in the case, though he declined to elaborate.

"We have gone to some places in a bid to get one of the personalities identified by witnesses as being at the crime scene," Pagdilao said in Filipino during an interview on dzXL radio Monday.

He would not say if the suspects included Juan Dontugan, 25, a woodcarver and furniture-maker whom local police earlier linked to the crime. Neither would he say if the search operations yielded any new evidence.

Earlier reports said the first witness was a 13-year-old boy who saw one suspect flee the crime scene.

Police intensified over the weekend their manhunt for Dontugan, whose wife Grace was said to have sold Campbell a bottle of soft drink as she went hiking in Ifugao.

"It was clear that she was bludgeoned on the head. This is a heinous crime and the PNP is conducting a manhunt operation for who did this," Pagdilao said.

When asked if Campbell was raped, Pagdilao said, "We are still waiting for the results from the Crime Laboratory." - GMANews.TV

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; Journalism; Crime; Murder

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