Plea-bargain offer rejected in Campbell murder case



The prosecution in the trial for murder of Juan Donald Duntugan, the accused in the killing last April 8 of US Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell in the highland tourist town of Banaue, rejected last Tuesday a plea-bargain offer of the defense for conviction of the accused for the lower offense of homicide. Lead prosecution counsel Reynaldo U. Agrazamendez of the Baguio-based law firm of Agrazamendez, Liceralde, Gallardo and Associates rejected the plea-bargain offer of the defense on behalf of the family of the late Campbell. Linda Martin Campbell, mother of the slain peace corps volunteer who was present during the hearing, confirmed the family’s rejection of the plea-bargain offer of the defense when she was asked for her opinion by Presiding Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor of Regional Trial Court’s Branch 34 at the Justice Hall here. Had the prosecution accepted the plea bargain offer the trial would have ended right then and there, and Judge Piscoso-Flor would have pronounced Duntugan guilty of homicide. The accused would have escaped the maximum penalty of life imprisonment and would be meted a 20-year imprisonment sentence. Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell, reported missing after hiking in Ifugao, was found dead April 18, 2007.

Plea-bargain offer rejected in Campbell murder case

Plea-bargain bid in case of Campbell slay denied

It’s a defense strategy to convict accused for lesser offense

By JUAN B. DAIT JR.

LAGAWE, Ifugao — The prosecution in the trial for murder of Juan Donald Duntugan, the accused in the killing last April 8 of US Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell in the highland tourist town of Banaue, rejected last Tuesday a plea-bargain offer of the defense for conviction of the accused for the lower offense of homicide.

Lead prosecution counsel Reynaldo U. Agrazamendez of the Baguio-based law firm of Agrazamendez, Liceralde, Gallardo and Associates rejected the plea-bargain offer of the defense on behalf of the family of the late Campbell.

Linda Martin Campbell, mother of the slain peace corps volunteer who was present during the hearing, confirmed the family’s rejection of the plea-bargain offer of the defense when she was asked for her opinion by Presiding Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor of Regional Trial Court’s Branch 34 at the Justice Hall here.

Had the prosecution accepted the plea bargain offer the trial would have ended right then and there, and Judge Piscoso-Flor would have pronounced Duntugan guilty of homicide.

The accused would have escaped the maximum penalty of life imprisonment and would be meted a 20-year imprisonment sentence.

The prosecution has lined up 18 witnesses, including the 14-year-old Melvin Chorhangon who allegedly saw Duntugan at the scene of the crime in Barangay Batad, Banaue in the late afternoon of April 8, 2007, the day Miss Campbell disappeared.

The defense panel submitted last Tuesday the names of its six witnesses.

Linda Martin Campbell, who lives in Fairfax, Virginia, was the first prosecution witness to be called to the witness stand.

Mrs. Campbell narrated the early childhood and schooling of her daughter, her exemplary record as a US Peace Corps Volunteer, her love for schoolchildren, and her generosity and dedication to her work.

Mrs. Campbell also described the emotional stresses she suffered during the death of her daughter and the expenses her family incurred during the memorial services and burial of Julia.

Also present during the hearing were Julia’s elder sister Geary and US Peace Corps Country Director Karl Beck.

The defense for Duntugan is represented by two Ifugao lawyers, Pedro Mayam-o and Eugene Balitang.

Mayam-o and Balitang are former members of the Ifugao sangguniang panlalawigan.

The private prosecutors are assisted by the Office of the Ifugao Provincial Prosecutor headed by Joseph Tumapang.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: August, 2007; RPCV Julia Campbell (Philippines); RPCV Julia Campbell (Philippines); Peace Corps Philippines; Directory of Philippines RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Philippines RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Crime; Murder; Journalism; Jurisprudence

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