Tschetter recalled he was on official business in China at the time Campbell was reported missing, so he flew to Manila to personally look into the situation and lend support to the Philippine government and Peace Corps staff here, whom he described as “shaken” by the events. “I cannot express enough my appreciation to the government of the Philippines, to the people of the Philippines, for the way they handled the situation,” he stressed. “Certainly, it was very quickly that we were able to find the body and moved forward from that. It has not affected our opinion and our presence here in the Philippines and I do not see that happening,” Tschetter said. The case of Campbell will not have negative effects even in the long-term, and the Philippines will remain a popular choice for Peace Corps volunteers, Tschetter added. “I can tell you it was a very sad time for the volunteers... They were very sad because she (Campbell) was a very popular volunteer and doing wonderful work in her community. So from that standpoint, it was very much a personal loss,” he said. Despite the brutal slaying of Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell last year, Tschetter said this “unfortunate” incident has not dampened the interest and enthusiasm of American Peace Corps volunteers to be assigned in the Philippines. “We cannot protect against unforeseen incidents such as the Julia Campbell situation. We had other situations in other (parts of the) world but not very many fortunately, and from time to time we have situations and accidents of one type or another involving volunteers,” Tschetter said. “But there is no effect in essence, certainly not in the morale here in the Philippines, not with the current volunteers. So we keep moving forward,” he said.
Campbell murder does not deter Peace Corps in the Philippines
Campbell murder did not deter Peace Corps
Despite the brutal slaying of Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell last year, Tschetter said this “unfortunate” incident has not dampened the interest and enthusiasm of American Peace Corps volunteers to be assigned in the Philippines.
“We cannot protect against unforeseen incidents such as the Julia Campbell situation. We had other situations in other (parts of the) world but not very many fortunately, and from time to time we have situations and accidents of one type or another involving volunteers,” Tschetter said.
“But there is no effect in essence, certainly not in the morale here in the Philippines, not with the current volunteers. So we keep moving forward,” he said.
Campbell was a Peace Corps volunteer in Albay and one month before she was to end her tour of duty, she went on vacation in Ifugao province and was murdered in early April 2007. Army soldiers found her remains on April 18, 2007, or 10 days after she was first reported missing by her host.
Campbell’s confessed killer, Juan Duntugan, was convicted for her murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment last June 30 by the Ifugao regional trial court. Judge Ester Piscoso-Flor further ordered Duntugan to pay Campbell’s family P39.67 million ($889,000) in damages.
In his defense, Duntugan claimed his killing of Campbell was not premeditated. He said he had just had a fight with his neighbor when Campbell bumped into him, making him drop what he was carrying. In his anger he hit Campbell with a rock.
Prior to her Peace Corps stint, Campbell worked as a freelance journalist in New York City. She was 40 years old at the time of her death. Her remains were cremated in Manila on April 25, 2007, and flown back to her hometown in Fairfax, Virginia. Her brother-in-law, Ed Morris, speaking on behalf of the family, said her greatest contribution was her Peace Corps service in the Philippines.
Tschetter recalled he was on official business in China at the time Campbell was reported missing, so he flew to Manila to personally look into the situation and lend support to the Philippine government and Peace Corps staff here, whom he described as “shaken” by the events.
“I cannot express enough my appreciation to the government of the Philippines, to the people of the Philippines, for the way they handled the situation,” he stressed.
“Certainly, it was very quickly that we were able to find the body and moved forward from that. It has not affected our opinion and our presence here in the Philippines and I do not see that happening,” Tschetter said.
The case of Campbell will not have negative effects even in the long-term, and the Philippines will remain a popular choice for Peace Corps volunteers, Tschetter added.
“I can tell you it was a very sad time for the volunteers... They were very sad because she (Campbell) was a very popular volunteer and doing wonderful work in her community. So from that standpoint, it was very much a personal loss,” he said.
In the 47-year history of the Peace Corps, Tschetter said there were other cases of deaths of Peace Corps volunteers, mostly due to accidents and sometimes homicide.
“But those circumstances happen unfortunately, we can’t protect them all from everything,” he said.
“So we continue to refresh our volunteers’ memories, not just at the beginning of their training, but on an ongoing basis where there are volunteers to keep them aware of the risk exposures that they have,” he said.
He said Peace Corps volunteers are reminded “to respect” and closely abide by the travel advisory that the US Embassy issues for American nationals to stay out of areas that pose danger to their personal safety.
